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SALT LAKE CITY — Jon Huntsman Sr. gave a radio interview Monday morning saying the leadership at the University of Utah Heath Sciences Department is in "total disarray" and that the Huntsman Cancer Institute will release financial records this week.
Huntsman spoke with KSL Newsradio's Doug Wright Monday and said despite the recent controversy, the Huntsman Cancer Institute is in "great shape." He also said the institute will be releasing the financial records for each year from when it opened in 1995 until now.
Utah legislators called for more information last week about University of Utah's relationship with the Huntsman Cancer Institute following the controversial firing and rehiring of Huntsman Cancer Institute Director and CEO Dr. Mary Beckerle at the end of April. Rep. Francis Gibson, R-Mapleton, said there are many unanswered questions about what has transpired at the U.
Huntsman also acknowledged the Huntsman Cancer Institute answers to the Utah Legislature and if anybody has questions, its "books will be wide open."
"We've given the state a lot of money, we love the state, and we would never do anything dishonest or wrong," Huntsman said.
Huntsman said Beckerle is "upbeat and positive" despite the recent turmoil.
"She is really, really an outstanding, profoundly remarkable, intelligent, lovely leader," Huntsman said. "She’s handling this thing really, really well."
Huntsman also said University of Utah President David Pershing told him he was going to retire months ago and that they've met together in the past week. Pershing officially announced May 1 that he was going to retire.
"We had a good meeting, we embraced each other," Huntsman said, adding that Pershing was "misled" about firing Beckerle.
He also said he can't speak for the University of Utah's side of things, claiming "they are in disarray" and need to "clean out" several people.
Huntsman also spoke about the recent $50 million financial gift he and the Koch family gave to Utah State University.
"I was impressed with the campus and community there," Huntsman said, adding there was "lack of infighting" unlike at the U.'s Health Sciences Department. The undergraduate business school has since been named for Huntsman.
Huntsman did not return a telephone message from KSL asking for clarification of his remarks.
University of Utah Health spokeswoman Kathy Wilets declined to respond to specific accusations levied by Huntsman beyond saying that the university is looking forward to working with the family on negotiating a new memorandum of understanding over Huntsman Cancer Institute.
In a statement, Wilets added that outside counsel is soliciting input from key stakeholders around campus, that the “financials in question will be reviewed and analyzed by both the university and the Huntsman family,” and that proposed solutions will be presented to the board of trustees.
"We are incredibly grateful to the Huntsman family for their generosity and we believe together we will come up with a solution that will serve our community," Wilets said.
Contributing: Marjorie Cortez and Daphne Chen
