UMass official fired after report

The University of Massachusetts at Boston fired its assistant vice chancellor of administration and finance yesterday, just days after learning he had left his high-ranking job in the state treasurer's office, where pornography was found on his work computer.

Jeffrey Stearns, who had been tapped for the $120,000 UMass job in July, was placed on paid administrative leave Thursday after the allegations became known, a college spokeswoman said.

Yesterday, the school released a statement saying, ''After a thorough review of information brought to the university's attention in the last several days, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Ellen O'Connor today terminated Jeffrey S. Stearns from his position as assistant vice chancellor."

It continued, ''This decision was made in the best interests of the University of Massachusetts Boston and its community."

Stearns did not return phone messages left yesterday at his home.

A UMass spokesman would not discuss details yesterday of how the decision was reached to fire Stearns nor would the spokesman speak at length about whether the school plans to revise its hiring practices as a result of this incident.

No pornography was found on Stearns's UMass computer, the spokesman said.

On Thursday, a UMass-Boston spokeswoman acknowledged that the school did not contact the treasurer's office before hiring Stearns, who had worked in that office for 12 years and had served as deputy treasurer for debt management.

UMass, instead, contacted three references outside the treasurer's office provided by Stearns. On the basis of those references, said the spokeswoman, Annemarie Lewis-Kerwin, the school had determined that Stearns was highly qualified. She said UMass was not aware of the circumstances under which Stearns left the treasurer's office.

A treasurer's office spokeswoman, Alison Mitchell, confirmed Thursday that the office had received no reference inquiries regarding Stearns from UMass.

Asked if UMass-Boston was reviewing its hiring policies to expand reference-checking requirements, school spokesman Edward Hayward said, ''I don't have anything on that at this moment."

When pressed, he added: ''I think that aspect of the review could be ongoing at this time. We're talking about three days ago, so I think we are moving ahead as best we can."

The school learned of the computer pornography allegations involving Stearns when the Associated Press called for comment on Tuesday, Lewis-Kerwin said.

The AP story was based on a former treasurer's office colleague of Stearns with direct knowledge of the reason for the resignation.

The colleague asked not to be identified because of a confidentiality agreement connected to the resignation.

The Globe has reported that state Treasurer Timothy Cahill required six former employees and one prospective employee to sign confidentiality and severance agreements.

The AP reported that Stearns was one of the employees who signed the agreements.

Hayward said that as part of the university's review of Stearns after learning of the allegations, the school examined Stearns' UMass computer and found no pornography on it.

Hayward said that was the course the school's review took ''because that was the issue raised, the allegation that was raised by his prior employment."

He declined to discuss the reasons for the school's decision to fire Stearns.