WWU professor to repay $20,000 to school for unethical travel practices

A Western Washington University administrator who was gone nearly half of his first year on the job will have to repay $20,000 to the university as part of his settlement with the State Executive Ethics Board.

Douglas Nord also will have to pay a $5,000 civil penalty as part of the settlement, in which he agreed his on-the-clock travel violated state ethics law. The settlement was approved Nov. 9 and it likely won't affect Nord's employment at WWU, said university spokesman Paul Cocke.