Former NNU President Resigned Over Inappropriate Relationship from 25 Years Ago

Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) announced that former president David Alexander resigned from his position following the revelation of an “inappropriate relationship” he had over 25 years ago while serving as a professor. The university released the statement to the campus community on Saturday, clarifying that Alexander’s resignation in May was directly linked to this past relationship.

Alexander, who served as NNU’s president for seven years, stepped down just weeks after he made a controversial decision to lay off theology professor Thomas Oord as part of a budget adjustment. This move sparked significant controversy on campus, leading to a “no confidence” vote from 77 percent of the faculty. However, the university now attributes Alexander’s resignation to the discovery of the earlier relationship.

Randy Craker, chair of the board of trustees, stated that information about the relationship came to his attention in April. He immediately consulted legal counsel to initiate an investigation. The individual involved confirmed that an inappropriate relationship had occurred when Alexander was a faculty member. Upon being confronted with the allegations, Alexander admitted to the relationship, leading the board to accept his resignation on May 11.

Craker emphasized that the board chose not to disclose the matter publicly to avoid further harm to the individual involved. “We are deeply saddened by what occurred,” he wrote, expressing empathy for the person who had carried the secret for over two decades. The board also affirmed that there were no further allegations of misconduct or inappropriate relationships involving Alexander.

Alexander’s career prior to NNU included 17 years at Southern Nazarene University, where he served as chair of the School of Music. He and his wife, Sandy, have been married for 36 years and both graduated from Point Loma University in 1977. Robert O’Donahue, director of educational partnerships at NNU, provided no additional comments, stating that Craker’s letter represented the official university position.

The board reiterated its stance that inappropriate relationships between faculty or staff and students are inexcusable. The incident underscores the importance of accountability and transparency in academic leadership, reflecting a commitment to upholding ethical standards and protecting the well-being of all individuals involved.

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