Former UCF President Dale Whittaker could walk away with more than $500,000 after resignation

ORLANDO, Fla. — How much will former UCF President Dale Whittaker walk away with now that his resignation has been accepted?

That’s what the UCF board of trustees will vote on this week.

According to a draft agreement published Tuesday morning, Whittaker could walk away with more than half a million dollars.

The draft agreement outlines that Whittaker will get 20 weeks of severance pay, as well as a lump sum of $435,000.

The university has been the focus of an investigation by the state into money it used to tear down an old, crumbling building and build a new one in its place. The school used $38 million to replace Trevor Colburn Hall, using money from operations funds, not construction, which is a violation of state statue.

READ: Emails: Ex-UCF president declined to discuss investigation in person, by phone

Since the spending first came to light, four employees were terminated, the CFO and board chair resigned, and former President John Hitt was released from his contract.

The board will vote on Thursday on whether to approve the agreement with Whittaker.

UCF is also dealing with another departure as the interim chief financial officer Kathy Mitchell submitted her resignation Tuesday.

She sent an email to school officials saying, “It has been almost six months and there is no realistic end in sight.”

Her departure leaves UCF with two major holes at the top of its leadership.

Colburn Hall Depositions 

Depositions unsealed Tuesday include testimony from Dale Whittaker in which state investigators grill him about where UCF got the money to replace Colburn Hall.

“Were you ever told that they could not be used for new construction?” they asked.

“I was never told,” he replied.

He later diverts blame, saying “staff would direct questions to Bill Merck about the appropriate use of funds.”

Merck is the former CFO who stepped down in September. He also gave a deposition in which he contradicts Whittaker’s testimony.

Merck says at one point when Whittaker was still provost at UCF that Whittaker “was” aware of how UCF was paying for Colburn Hall.

Despite the contradicting depositions, the board last week voted to accept Whittaker’s resignation.

Channel 9's Christopher Heath will have the latest details on Eyewitness News at 5.

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