Multiple members of the CapRadio Board of Directors, including Board Chair Andrea Clark, resigned on Wednesday.
The 14 members to resign include Clark, Vice Chair Cornelious Burke, Kim Silvers, Ben Arao, Lisa Bader, Katherine Bardis-Miry, Richard Cummings, Kelly Freitas, Mónica Nainsztein, Marjorie Solomon, Douglas Wagemann, Steven Weiss and Roger Dreyer.
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According to reporting from the Sacramento Bee, the board members addressed their resignation in a letter addressed to President Luke Wood. In the letter, they claim the university failed to “engage with the board in good faith.”
According to reporting from KCRA 3, the university also confirmed that Arao resigned as well.
“In light of Sac State’s recent announcements asserting control over CapRadio management, and what we view as a failure of Sac State to inform and engage with the board in good faith to resolve CapRadio’s financial issues, we are resigning from the board effective immediately,” the letter obtained by Sac Bee said.
The letter also addresses a press release from the university on Tuesday regarding the board’s vote to proceed with hiring a new general manager that same day. According to the release, the university asked the board not to vote on the matter and said they would not be funding the new hire.
In response to the resignation, Wood shared the following statement with the resigning board members thanking them for their service.
“These resignations are accepted,” Wood said. “The University looks forward to working to ensure a stable future for Capital Public Radio.”
CapRadio could not be reached for comment at time of publishing.
The resignations come after board members and Associated Students Inc. President Nataly Andrade-Dominguez called on members to resign Monday after an audit regarding the Sacramento State auxiliary was released by the California State University on Sept. 27. The audit noted several issues with the financial management of CapRadio, including being over $1.8 million behind in loan payments to the school.
“CapRadio has suffered financial instability, lack of accountability, lack of connections with Sac State students, and lack of willingness to work with University officials,” Andrade-Dominguez said in a letter to The State Hornet. “I believe these resignations will serve the best interests of the Sac State community and especially of its students.”
Following the release of the audit, Sac State announced it would be taking administrative control of the auxiliary in order to help keep its doors open. This administrative control is to be headed by Jonathan Bowman, Sac State’s chief financial officer, while Tom Karlo was named interim general manager.
An internal investigation from the university found CapRadio is projected to be out of financial resources by January 2024.
