Nielsen, Oblinger talked legal problems

N.C. State University Provost Larry Nielsen and former Chancellor James Oblinger had a discussion on May 13 about Nielsen's imminent departure as provost. The talk that day covered legal issues.

Both men have recently appeared before a federal grand jury that has sought records about the hiring of former first lady Mary Easley, J. Andrew Curliss reports. Both were involved in that hiring decision, records have shown.

In response to a public records request, the university has produced two different severance deal letters that Nielsen and Oblinger both signed. Both are dated May 13. And both would have allowed for Nielsen to receive an elevated salary for three years.

The letters, both written by Oblinger, are addressed to Nielsen and serve as the chancellor's "acceptance of your resignation" on May 13. They outline the terms of a deal that, once it was disclosed publicly last month as being for three years, generated controversy and played a part in Oblinger's own resignation. The university has since said that neither letter holds any value; Nielsen's severance was reduced to a six-month exit plan payout that he was offered originally in 2005 upon taking the job.

There is only one difference between the two severance letters: In one of them, a six-line paragraph is added that addresses potential legal action. "This also will confirm our discussion," Oblinger wrote in the inserted section, that if Nielsen requests defense in "any civil or criminal action or proceeding brought against you in your official or individual capacity" then that request will be sent to the proper person in the state Attorney General's office.

Officials have said the state is not paying for lawyers for either man.

Nielsen actually wrote a resignation letter that was released to the public and it is dated May 14, the day after Oblinger had already accepted Nielsen's resignation, according to the severance letters. On May 14, Nielsen wrote to his colleagues, "Today I submitted my resignation..." and he writes that Oblinger has accepted.

At a news conference on May 14, Oblinger said that Nielsen had come to him to resign and that he had tried at one point to convince him to stay on.