The board of Broward College and its president, Torey Alston, reached a mutual separation agreement on Tuesday, finalizing a departure that follows weeks of public friction. Under the terms, Alston has resigned his position immediately and agreed to drop both his lawsuit and a formal human resources complaint against the trustees.
Terms of the Settlement
The financial arrangement provides Alston with a total of $430,000. This figure includes approximately $319,000 related to the withdrawal of his legal action, pending court approval, alongside $110,000 covering severance and accrued leave. While the deal settles the dispute, the board did not admit any wrongdoing. The severance component accounts for unused sick time and vacation leave that had accumulated during his tenure, ensuring that the outgoing president is compensated for benefits he had earned but not yet utilized. The portion tied to the lawsuit is contingent on a judge approving the withdrawal, a procedural step that typically requires a formal motion and a brief review period before the case is officially dismissed from the docket.
The agreement also mandates that Alston refrain from disparaging the board and prohibits him from applying for future roles at the institution. This non-disparagement clause covers both public statements and private communications, creating a binding obligation that extends beyond his final day on campus. The prohibition on future applications effectively closes the door on any possibility of Alston returning to Broward College in any capacity, whether administrative, faculty, or staff. This resolution comes just days after trustees initially moved to terminate his contract without cause, a maneuver that would have resulted in no compensation beyond his final day of work. Under the original termination path, his employment contract contained no provision for severance or payout when a dismissal occurred without a stated reason, meaning the board’s initial approach would have left him with only his regular pay through his last working day and nothing further.
Conflict and Mediation
The friction between the president and the board began in June, according to records from college meetings. Trustees pointed to declining pass rates on nursing licensure exams and alleged that Alston failed to maintain necessary communication with local donors and civic leaders. The nursing exam concerns were particularly significant given that the college’s nursing program is one of its flagship offerings, and a sustained drop in pass rates could jeopardize the program’s accreditation status and its reputation among prospective students. The communication issues with donors and civic leaders were framed by trustees as a broader failure to cultivate the external relationships that underpin the institution’s fundraising efforts and community partnerships. Alston contested these claims, arguing in his legal filing that the board mismanaged his performance review and unfairly suppressed his merit bonus. In his complaint, he alleged that the performance review he received in June was not properly administered and that the score he was awarded fell below the threshold required to trigger the merit bonus stipulated in his employment contract. He further disputed the accuracy of the meeting minutes that the board had published, asserting that the official record did not reflect what actually transpired during those sessions.
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For the students and faculty at the institution, this administrative turnover represents a period of profound uncertainty regarding the future direction of the school. When leadership transitions occur under these conditions, the day-to-day operations can often become secondary to the ongoing legal maneuvering, potentially slowing down long-term strategic planning. A stable governing body is usually required to ensure that academic programs and donor relationships remain consistent during such shifts. Faculty members may find themselves waiting to learn whether new administrative priorities will alter curriculum requirements, budget allocations, or hiring practices. Students, particularly those enrolled in programs that were central to the board’s criticisms, may wonder whether their departments will face increased scrutiny or restructuring in the aftermath of the settlement. Donors and community partners who had established working relationships with Alston will need to be re-engaged by whoever assumes the presidency, a process that can take months and may result in shifts in giving priorities or collaborative initiatives.
Path to Departure
The situation escalated last week when Alston filed a lawsuit to halt a scheduled termination vote. The legal action was filed two days before the board was set to convene and vote on his dismissal, a timing that forced the trustees to pause their planned course of action. A circuit court judge intervened, requiring the two parties to engage in mediation. The judge’s ruling effectively blocked the board from proceeding with the termination vote until the mediation process had been completed, creating a legal framework for the two sides to negotiate a resolution rather than having the matter decided unilaterally by the trustees. This process led to the current settlement, which replaces the original plan to dismiss him without explanation. The mediation session was held on Monday, and the agreement was finalized the following day, indicating that both parties were able to find common ground relatively quickly once they were compelled to negotiate in good faith.
Alston, who was hired in early 2025 with an annual salary of $329,000, issued a statement via email following the announcement. He noted his pride in the institution’s growth in enrollment and retention during his time in the role. He also pointed to the completion rates among students and the state and federal funding that the college secured under his leadership. He stated that he looks forward to what is ahead as he vacates the office. Just one week prior, Alston had expressed to Higher Ed Dive his hope that he could remain as Broward’s president and work through the issues with the board, indicating that his position shifted significantly during the mediation process. The settlement brings to a close a chapter that began with public disagreements over institutional performance and evolved into a legal battle that required judicial intervention to resolve. With his resignation now official, the board will need to begin the process of identifying an interim leader and, eventually, conducting a search for a permanent replacement to guide the college forward.
