[2][3] His reputation was materially tarnished by auditor findings that tens of millions of dollars were improperly spent on construction during his tenure as president.

[5] His successor Dale Whittaker and the university's chief financial officer Bill Merck also resigned because of the scandal.

[6] Hitt grew up in Houston and graduated from Austin College in Sherman, Texas in 1962 with a bachelor of science degree in psychology.

After serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology at Bradley University in Illinois for ten years, he moved to the University of Maine in 1987 as vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology.

Bryan had been serving in an interim capacity since June 1991 when Steven Altman stepped down as the university's third president.