LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- University of Louisville trustees on Wednesday accepted the resignation of embattled President James Ramsey, whose long tenure was dogged by scandal.The action at a special meeting of the schools board signaled the end of an era. Ramsey, a former state budget director, has led the university for 14 years.After six hours of closed-door deliberations, the board announced late Wednesday that Ramsey will be paid $690,000 and will resign immediately, with an agreement not to sue the school.Ramsey was credited with raising academic standards and boosting the school from a commuter campus to a distinguished research institution. But he came under increasing fire for embezzlement scandals and a string of other embarrassments, including an FBI investigation of top university officials for alleged misuse of federal money and an NCAA investigation into whether a university employee paid women to strip and have sex with basketball players.The controversies boiled over in the past two years. The Courier-Journal reported last year that the Board of Trustees challenged Ramseys salary of more than $600,000, with millions more in deferred compensation paid by the university foundation.Then, in October, an escort named Katina Powell released the book Breaking Cardinal Rules that alleged a basketball team employee hired her and other dancers to entertain players and recruits at sex parties. The NCAA launched an investigation and Ramsey announced in February that the team would not play in post-season tournaments.Dozens of professors signed a letter to him complaining about the drumbeat of crises and some trustees attempted a no-confidence vote to have him ousted in the spring. Ramsey said at the time that he would not resign.But Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin dismantled the former Board of Trustees last month. Ramsey wrote the governor a letter offering to tender his resignation to the newly appointed board, launching a bumpy series of meetings that led to his eventual ouster late Wednesday.The afternoon began with an agreement seemingly far more generous for Ramsey: He would collect his salary for a year as he served as interim president while the school searched for a new leader. Ramsey sat silently at Wednesdays board meeting, wearing a polo shirt, then left for his office upstairs.But the boards closed-door negotiations stretched hours into the night. Chairman Pro Tem Ulysses Junior Bridgeman left several times to visit Ramseys office, where the president was working with various advisers, he said.The board announced just before 11 p.m. that Ramsey would be out immediately. University Provost Neville Pinto, who is on vacation, will serve as temporary leader until a new president is selected.In the end, it was just the decision on both sides, what everyone thought was best, Bridgeman said of the final resolution. He said it was a sad moment in the universitys history despite the controversies that have colored Ramseys tenure. He pointed to the presidents accomplishments, improving graduation rates and the universitys footprint in the city.Dr. Ramsey is always going to be a gentleman, he said about Ramseys reaction to the final decision. Hes always going to talk about whats best for the university. And that was the discussion. It wasnt any more than that.The boards actions will have no bearing on Ramseys status with the University Foundation, a separate board where Ramsey is paid more than $300,000 in addition to his salary as president. Bridgeman would not speculate on what that board will choose to do about his employment.The trustees also voted to immediately begin its search for a new president.The decision ends weeks of unrest and confusion about Ramseys status.Shortly after Bevin dismantled the old board and appointed new members, Ramsey read his letter offering to resign as the board met in a private session at its first meeting earlier this month. Ramsey then left the meeting, walked directly to his office and didnt return.His method apparently left trustees confused. Bridgeman told reporters that Ramsey had not offered his resignation. A day later, Bridgeman said Ramseys letter had amounted to an offer to step down. Trustees met for a second time last week, reviewing budget and tuition issues but taking no action on Ramseys status.They scheduled a meeting to discuss his resignation for Tuesday morning, abruptly canceled it then rescheduled it for Wednesday afternoon.Now, even with Ramseys immediate departure, the schools leadership remains uncertain.Democratic state Attorney General Andy Beshear is challenging Bevins authority to disband the schools former board and appoint a new one, saying the reorganization was illegal.During a hearing last week, Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said Bevins action replacing UofLs board was problematic because it put the schools independence in jeopardy. His ruling is pending. If Shepherd rules against Bevin and finds the current board invalid, its unclear whether the boards decisions will stand, including Wednesdays negotiations over Ramseys departure. Wil Lutz Jersey . 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Thank God.While there will be no Kershaw and LA manager Dave Roberts still has not named his starter, the Nationals will hand the ball to Cy Young Award candidate Max Scherzer in the decisive Game 5 at home Thursday night.With a spot in the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs at stake, Scherzer is the man Washington wants on the mound and hes embracing the pressure.Ive kind of said over the past few days, Ive said that a handful of times throughout my career, `Hey, this is the biggest start of my career, Scherzer said Tuesday. How you handle that, going out there using the emotion of that scenario, that everything is on the line, look, Im not going to shy away from it. This is the biggest start of my career.Scherzer (20-7, 2.96 ERA) lasted only six innings and lost Game 1 after giving up home runs to Corey Seager and Justin Turner. While Scherzer is looking for some redemption, the Dodgers are looking forward to another shot at him.I mean, we beat him once already, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. We put some pretty good at-bats against him in Game 1, and were confident that we can do that again.The Nationals also had some good at-bats against LA lefty Rich Hill, beating him in Game 2. Hill (12-5, 2.12) will most likely be the Dodgers starter in Game 5, though Roberts will use a collection of arms and could quickly turn to fresh 20-year-old lefty Julio Urias if theres trouble.Washingtons bullpen has been strong, but Scherzer is in the spotlight.I know who Max is and how he goes about it, right fielder Bryce Harper said. I think there are things we can do in the bullpen, as well, if Max doesnt get to the ninth. Hes got a lot of help. So hopefully well get a couple of runs early and do what we can to stay with our approach and stay within ourrselves (and) just have a lot of fun.ddddddddddddcherzer considers the big stage plenty of fun. He said it doesnt matter that its not him against Kershaw again and expects the Dodgers best effort and a charged atmosphere.Its going to be a heck of a ballgame, Scherzer said. These are two great teams. Weve seen great pitching, weve seen great offense, great bullpens, clutch hitting. Weve seen it all. So the opportunity to go out there in Game 5, back in D.C. with our fans, its going to be a heck of an experience.Some other things to watch in Game 5 between the Dodgers and Nationals:LEFT, LEFT, LEFT: The Dodgers can trot out a lineup of seven left-handed batters, starting with Chase Utley and Seager and continuing down to Gonzalez, Joc Pederson, switch-hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal and Andrew Toles. Thats a powerful crew that can do damage if Scherzer makes even a couple of mistakes.MURPH-TOBER: Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy has picked up where he left off last October with the New York Mets. Murphy is 6 for 13 with six RBI in the series but has yet to hit a home run. He had seven in the playoffs last year, including three against the Dodgers.BULLISH PEN: Nationals relievers have combined to allow two runs on 10 hits in 14 2/3 innings in the series. Lefties Sammy Solis, Marc Rzepczynski and Oliver Perez have flummoxed the Dodgers, who developed a reputation for struggling against left-handed pitchers.BAD AIM, NOT BLOOD: Pitchers have combined to hit 11 batters through four games, the most in a playoff series in major league history. Thats not because things have been chippy. I think our guys have done a lot of breaking balls to the lefties and caught their feet, Scherzer said. Thats just baseball. No one on either side is trying to hit anybody with everything on the line right now.---AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham in Los Angeles contributed.---This story has been corrected with Murphys playoff stats in this series and last year. ' ' '
