CONCORD — St. John International University can continue to offer courses at its Italian campus through the end of the year, but the state Higher Education Commission voted Thursday to speed up an on-site review from next year to the fall.

Evaluator James H. Craiglow recommended that the commission require the school to hire an educator-consultant to report on its status and that the commission postpone an on-site visit to the campus in Torino, Italy, until next year to give the school time to get its house in order after losing its American president, George J. Hagerty, in February.

The school is operating with an interim president.

Commissioner Thomas C. Galligan, said, “I see this person in an inherent conflict situation because you're being hired by the institution to help establish direction, but at the same time, we're asking the person to monitor and report to us,” Galligan said. “I think we have to be careful to craft it in a way that it gives the person direction as to what their responsibilities will be in terms of the monitoring and reporting to us versus the helping to establish direction,” he said.

Galligan is president of Colby-Sawyer College.

Commission chairman, the Rev. Jonathan DeFelice, who also serves as a SJIU board member, recused himself, and Vice Chairman Edward R. MacKay chaired the commission's review of SJIU. MacKay also is University System of New Hampshire chancellor.

“St. John International University is authorized to offer these programs to the end of the calendar year,” MacKay said.

Commissioner John A. Curran, participating by telephone, asked whether any steps needed to be taken immediately to protect students.

“The sooner this is done the better,” Craiglow said.

MacKay said decisions will be made by students and their home schools about study abroad for the fall semester before the commission can get an updated report on SJIU.

Galligan offered a substitute motion that the commission require a report from SJIU by Sept. 1, with consideration at the commission's September meeting and with a site visit scheduled for the fall. Details to be required in the report will also be reviewed by the Higher Education Commission's executive committee.

The amended motion passed, with none in opposition. DeFelice abstained.

St. John International University is set up as a for-profit New Hampshire corporation with a campus in Italy and is structured as an “American university.”

The commission also approved the American University of Madaba, which has a campus in the country of Jordan, to offer degrees. More information, can be found ataum.edu.jo.

MacKay will be the next chairman. The commission's next meeting will be Sept. 13.

Suit/countersuit

Former SJIU president George J. Hagerty sued the university in February in Merrimack County Superior Court after working for months without being paid regularly for the months of September 2011 through early February.

In a countersuit filed this week, attorney James J. Bianco Jr., representing the school, said SJIU has paid Hagerty $45,000 in back wages, but the suit also alleges breach of contract on Hagerty's part.

In particular, the suit alleges Hagerty breached his contract by resigning Feb. 6, without giving the school six months' required notice; breached his duty of loyalty by entering SJIU into a partnership agreement with Newbury Global LLC, in which Hagerty was a member; and competed with SJIU through Turin Educational Consortium.

Several SJIU employees filed complaints with the Higher Education Commission over nonpayment of wages, but MacKay said it was beyond the scope of the commission to get between an employer and an employee.