Former Pro Tem Cal Hobson leaves post at University of Oklahoma

CapitolBeatOK has confirmed that former President Pro Tem Cal Hobson has left his job at the University of Oklahoma. Today, a high-ranking OU official sent this email response to questions posed yesterday:
 
“According to Jim Pappas, vice president for OU Outreach, Cal resigned his position at OU’s Center for Continuing Education on April 15.  At the time of his resignation, Cal’s OU salary was $89,000.”

Thursday, The McCarville Report Online had disclosed: “There are unconfirmed reports tonight that former Senator Cal Hobson abruptly resigned his University of Oklahoma executive position after an incident on the campus, the details of which are unknown. Hobson could not be reached for comment, nor could OU officials in a position to talk officially. However, one OU insider confirmed the resignation ‘off the record.’”

Hobson has been director of operations at the University of Oklahoma Outreach. CapitolBeatOK had reported his total pay at $147,000 a year, based on information in state records.

Hobson is one of a few state elected officials who have earned significant retirement benefits while continuing to work for the state government. In 2010, Hobson’s benefit was $77,327. During a 33-year career, Hobson paid $79,938 into his benefits account. He retired from the Senate in 2006 at the age of 62, and was 66 years old in 2010. 

Pursuing the story on Thursday (April 28), The McCarville Report had noted, “The program’s website once listed Hobson; today, his name is absent. Two other links to OU sites tied to Hobson via Google today show the links no longer exist.  Hobson resigned his Senate leadership post in 2003 and signed himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center after numerous incidents.”