University trustee Patrick Kilkenny made certain Thursday that he is resigning from his position on the University Foundation Board of Trustees.
Kilkenny sent a resignation letter to Board President Randy Papé Tuesday, citing frustrations about the University’s decision to join the Worker Rights Consortium and Nike CEO Phil Knight’s decision to pull his personal contributions to the University as a result.
After the University joined the labor-monitoring group, Knight announced he would no longer donate his personal money to the University.
But on Tuesday, Papé spoke with Kilkenny in an attempt to make him change his mind. Papé said he thought Kilkenny might reevaluate his decision. He suggested to Kilkenny that he throw away the letter.
After Kilkenny sent a confirmation letter of resignation to Papé on Thursday, all doubts were put to rest.
“I regret that Kilkenny chose to use resignation from the foundation board as a vehicle to express his personal opinion …” Papé said.
Kilkenny, who graduated from the University in 1974, told The Register-Guard on Monday that he would continue to support the University even without serving the trustees.
“I’m not walking away from that. It’s a great school with great people, and I wish them all the best. By no means am I bailing out on my interest in that marvelous institution up in Eugene,” Kilkenny said.
He was in the fourth year of his five-year term on the board.
The board of trustees is a 50-member group that oversees the trustees foundation, which receives and allocates contributions to the University. Papé explained that Kilkenny will not be replaced because the board can function with a minimum of 45 or a maximum of 55 members.