Lou Kennedy, CEO of Nephron Pharmaceuticals, has resigned from the University of South Carolina’s presidential search committee. Kennedy also said she plans to stop making financial contributions to USC except for women’s sports.
Kennedy has donated more than $30 million to USC.

Nephron has a West Columbia address and it sits just outside of Cayce.

Kennedy said USC Board Chairman Dorn Smith commented that he considered Kennedy’s appointment to the search committee a “courtesy.” She said she felt that meant input would not be taken seriously. Kennedy was appointed to the committee as an adviser.

Kennedy submitted a letter of resignation Monday. She said Smith had apologized and she said: “When you said that my invitation to be part of the search process was a ‘courtesy,’ I felt as though it diminished the priorities I brought to the table. As far as I’m concerned, that is unacceptable.”