UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth paid president $560,000 to resign
The University of North Texas Health Science Center paid its outgoing president $560,000 in return for her voluntary resignation from the university, according to public records released to the Star-Telegram.
Dr. Sylvia Trent-Adams stepped down as president Jan. 31. Neither HSC nor Trent-Adams has commented on the reason for her resignation. Trent-Adams could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday. A spokesperson for HSC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trent-Adams signed a mutual termination and release agreement on Jan. 30, agreeing to voluntarily resign from her position. According to the agreement, Trent-Adams will receive $560,000 “in return for Trent-Adams’ promises in this Agreement.” The agreement stipulated that Trent-Adams will be paid within 30 days of Jan. 31, and that she releases the the University of North Texas system “from any and all claims and potential claims.”
Trent-Adams took over as president of the Fort Worth institution in September 2022.
Last year, UNT HSC halted a controversial program that used unclaimed bodies from Tarrant and Dallas counties for medical research. A September investigation by NBC News revealed that there were at least 12 people who had died and whose bodies were used by HSC without their families’ knowledge or consent. In addition to being used for medical research and training, HSC also sold bodies to medical research companies and the U.S. Army. Shortly before the investigation was published, HSC announced that it had halted the program, fired program leadership, and that it would hire a consulting firm to review the program.
The program began under Trent-Adams’ predecessor, Michael Williams, who is now the chancellor of the entire University of North Texas system. In 2018, Tarrant County entered into a contract with the Health Science Center allowing HSC to handle the bodies of county residents for whom no next-of-kin could be located, as well as for families who could not afford to bury or cremate their loved ones.
