University of Alabama VP of student life resigns after arrest for soliciting prostitution
The University of Alabama's vice president of student life has resigned after he was arrested Thursday on a charge of soliciting prostitution.
Myron Pope, 50, was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail and released after posting a $1,000 bond for the misdemeanor charge, according to the Tuscaloosa Police Department.
AL.com reported Pope was one of 15 men arrested on Thursday and Friday nights after arranging to pay for sex through an app.
UA President Stuart R. Bell said Friday in an emailed statement that Pope had resigned.
"I have difficult news to share today. Vice President of Student Life Myron Pope has resigned from the university following his recent arrest. We understand this news will be difficult for our community," Bell said. "I will appoint an interim vice president of student life and that person, along with the many professionals in the division, will remain available to all of us. Please continue to take care of yourselves and one another."
THIS IS AMERICA: Sign up for Paste BN’s free weekly take on the news from reporters from a range of backgrounds and experiences
A native of Sweet Water, Alabama, Pope was a walk-on tight end/linebacker on the Crimson Tide football team that beat Miami in the Sugar Bowl after the 1992 season.
He earned a bachelor of arts in history at Alabama, along with a master of arts and a doctor of education in higher education administration.
He served as the university's director of recruitment programs/alternative certification from 1997 to 2000 and as a clinical assistant professor in the higher education administrative program.
Pope was named UA's vice president of student life in May 2020. The Division of Student Life provides support for students through a variety of programs including health and recreation, career counseling resources, the student center, student media, residential communities and other resources.
Before returning to his alma mater, Pope served as chief of strategic engagement for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. He also served 14 years in vice presidential roles in higher education, including a stint as student affairs and enrollment management at the University of Central Oklahoma.