Mayo resigns under cloud of questions

By Amanda Tracy
Norwich Guidon Managing Editor

After 13 years of service to Norwich University, Chief of Security Larry Mayo resigned his position effective Feb. 23.

But the circumstances leading up to the resignation are cloudy.

According to Jay Wisner, Director of Human Resources, Mayo resigned for personal reasons.

Mayo says otherwise.

According to Mayo, the events which led to his resignation actually started at a recent Norwich hockey game, during which he was suffering from a migraine.

Mayo said he asked a fellow security officer for a prescription painkiller. The officer complied and gave him the medication.

Mayo said he did not have a current prescription for that particular medication, but, he said, "the drugs were the exact same pain killers that my doctor was giving me in the past for the headaches."

Mayo said that a third officer, who was witness to Mayo's receiving the medicine from the fellow officer, filed a report saying that Mayo solicited drugs from another officer.

Mayo doesn't deny that he asked the officer for the medication. "Of course, I admitted it, because I did." But he denied any wrongdoing.

Mayo said he was informed by someone in human resources that his actions came under the situation of soliciting drugs, grounds for dismissal from the university under staff employment regulations.

He doesn't understand why he was the only one who appears to be wrong. According to Mayo, "Nobody's said a word about the officer who supplied the medication. If it's illegal for me to ask, it's damn sure illegal for [for others to dispense painkillers]."

Mayo said that after it was investigated, he was given two options: to resign from his position with the possibility of a good reference; or transfer to Vermont College campus and complete his contract with facilities operations there, without a favorable reference.

"I felt there was a little bit of pressure on me to resign," Mayo said. "I just couldn't believe it was over something so [minor]."

Neither option appealed to him, and he wanted to take appellate action through the university's regulations governing employees.

"[Wisner] seemed upset that I wanted to take it higher," Mayo said.

According to Mayo, there were other charges against him, but Wisner said that they were unfounded, and the university was not going to pursue them.

Mayo said he will be speaking with an attorney to discuss his legal options.

For confidentiality reasons, Wisner refused to comment on Mayo's situation until Mayo grants him the option to disclose information.

Norwich Director of Public Relations Tom Greene also declined to comment on the situation. It is the university's policy not to comment on personnel matters.

"[Mayo] resigned for personal reasons, and we wish him the best of success in the future," Wisner said. "We have no reason not to believe that he will be successful."

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