Documents Point To $1.398 Million Settlement To Fired UConn Professor

STORRS, CT — An amount that showed up on a University of Connecticut list of highest paid employees last year represents a seven-figure arbitration settlement awarded to a researcher who was fired amid allegations that she failed to disclose financial connections to China.

The amount that showed up on the chart is $1,398,674. UConn Monday supplied all documents related to Li Wang's. disciplinary case, per Connecticut Freedom of Information law.

A CT Insider report indicated that was an arbitration award, dispersed last year without publicity. The pay chart placed Wang sixth on the list of highest paid state employees.

According to documents on the case supplied by UConn, Wang was hired by UConn in 2014 and was scheduled to be terminated on Sept. 20, 2019. She resigned the day before her termination became effective.

Wang began treading in hot water amid federal and school allegations that she did not disclose financial affiliations with the Wenzhou Medical University and National Natural Science Foundation of China. The National Institute of Health backed UConn's termination decision, according to discuments supplied in Patch's FOI request.

According to CT Insider, Wang denied those allegations and in November 2021 the American Arbitration Association ordered UConn to reinstate her job and pay back wages.

UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said the school is not commenting further while standing by its actions.

In 2022, UConn also had a hefty employment settlement with an award of $3.9 million atop another of $11 million in a dispute with former Men's basketball coach Kevin Ollie.