Professor Charles G. Hurst Jr. will, however, stay on the Lowell faculty, according to university officials.

In a brief statement Tuesday, William Hogan, the university's president, said Hurst submitted his resignation as special assistant to the president for minority affairs "in the best interest of all concerned," The Lowell Sun reported.

Hogan declined to say whether a series of stories in the Sun about Hurst's background, including reports that Hurst's resume contained "inaccuracies and half-truths," played a role in the resignation.

The Sun said Hurst used the inaccurate resume to help obtain the university post.

The newspaper said the inaccuracies included a claim that Hurst taught at the University of Nigeria from 1981 until 1983. The Nigerian University Commission said they could find no record of Hurst ever teaching at any Nigerian school, the newspaper reported.

The resignation means Hurst will continue to receive his $42,000-a-year faculty salary, but will not earn an additional salary for recruiting minority students for the school. Last summer, Hurst made approximately $20,000 in that capacity, the Sun said.