Kelle Stephens, the president of Dixie Applied Technology College in St. George, Utah, was fired after the board of trustees of the Utah System of Technical Colleges voted 6 to 5 to terminate her employment. In a written statement, the board thanked President Stephens for her service but did not offer an explanation for her firing.
Stephens was named president of the college in 2012. Women are only 30 percent of the student body, according to the latest U.S. Department of Education figures. Before becoming president, Stephens was vice president for instruction. She joined the staff at the college in 1992.
According to a report in The Salt Lake Tribune, Stephens claims she was blackmailed by a former employee who sent the board and Utah state legislators a “deceptively edited audio recording” that implied the president was involved in discriminatory behavior. President Stephens has earlier been accused of nepotism for nominating her son-in-law to join the board of trustees. Stephens stated that her firing was not justified and has threatened legal action
Stephens is a graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. She holds a master’s degree in economics from Utah State University.