COLUMBUS, Ohio — A newly released agreement signed by Ohio State and its former president Kristina Johnson limits what Johnson can say about the university.
The agreement, signed by both parties last November, prevents the board of trustees and related employees from making any “derogatory or disparaging” statements against Johnson and prevents her from speaking negatively about The Ohio State University.
The agreement’s release comes seven months after Johnson announced that she was stepping down as president at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year. Her last day was May 7, 2023, and according to the agreement, she was set to receive a lump sum of $278,100 no later than 30 days after her departure.
In addition to the agreement of mutual non-disparagement, Johnson also voluntarily resigned from her position as a tenured professor in the College of Engineering, Department of Computer Science and Engineering effective on May 7.
Following the announcement of Johnson's resignation, 10TV asked an Ohio State spokesperson if it was at the request of the board but said he cannot confirm that. The spokesperson said there was no investigation and that an outside consultant was brought in to assist in the president's performance review, but no review took place.
"The board was aware of President Johnson's intent to leave the university in advance of the November board meeting and therefore an annual review was not completed," the spokesperson said.
Johnson, 65, served just over two years as the president with a $927,000 salary.
Before coming to Columbus, she served as the chancellor of the State University of New York for three years. Johnson also held leadership positions at Duke University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Colorado. She also served at the U.S. Department of Energy from 2009 to 2010.
The board is continuing to search for the university's 17th president.
A statement released to 10TV from a spokesperson at the university said:
"The board is making good progress, and the search is moving forward efficiently. It is too soon to say when the next president will be announced."