The job of the Southern University system’s president is safe, at least for now, reports The Advocate, a paper in Baton Rouge, La.

A federal judge ruled Thursday evening that Southern’s Board of Supervisors may not fire the president, Ralph Slaughter, until the case involving him is resolved in a trial. The governing board put Mr. Slaughter on paid leave two months ago while university officials investigated whether the board’s former chairman sexually harassed female employees. Mr. Slaughter first made the allegations public (The Chronicle, May 18).

After an internal investigation turned up nothing to substantiate the allegations, the Board of Supervisors last month cleared the former chairman — Johnny G. Anderson, who is also the assistant chief of staff to Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco — of the charges. Mr. Slaughter is suing the board, its current chairwoman, Governor Blanco, and others, contending that they conspired against him because he went public with the charges against Mr. Anderson. A trial date has not been set.

The newspaper reports that Mr. Slaughter was back in his office on Thursday. —Karin Fischer