Tim Hudson, an executive director of the Austin Peay State University (APSU) Center for Extended and International Education, was fired for “theft or dishonesty and falsification of records.” He was Arkansas State University’s chancellor from 2012-2016.

According to official documents obtained by Clarksville Now, Hudson was terminated Jan. 24, effective immediately. At the time of his firing, he was making $150,011 per year.

According to the termination letter, during an internal audit investigation meeting, Hudson admitted he sought reimbursement for a trip to a nonexistent conference.

On Dec. 22, 2022, APSU’s Office of Internal Audit was told Hudson submitted a travel reimbursement claim with a fabricated document. 

During the fiscal years 2022 and 2023, Hudson was reimbursed $16,132 for eight trips, six international and two domestic. 

Hudson claimed he went to an event called “Continuing Education: Regional Status Updates and Focus on Micro-Credentials” and submitted the event agenda with the claim. 

The agenda said the conference would take place at a certain hotel and was sponsored by the Continuing Education Department of an unnamed out-of-state university. Hudson was reimbursed $828.14.

“The agenda appeared fabricated,” the audit report said. “Internal Audit contacted the director of internal audit at the out-of-state university, who agreed the agenda did not look like an official university document. The director contacted various employees/departments and could not confirm the event occurred. Additionally, the director could not locate any payments to the hotel for meeting/conference space.”

This is not Hudson’s first time being audited. In August 2016, he resigned as A-State’s chancellor during a series of state legislative audits, just three weeks before the fall semester was set to begin.

During his time as chancellor, Hudson made over $300,000. He tried to have his wife, Deidra, appointed as permanent study abroad director. He attempted to cancel the job posting after being told that would be a violation of state. 

Bill Smith, Ph.D., chief communications officer, said Arkansas State University does not comment on the actions of past administrators. 

Original article by Chris Smith of Clarksville Now

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