STOCK ISLAND -- Embattled Florida Keys Community College president Jill Landesberg-Boyle gave up her fight to keep her job, announcing Monday that she has agreed to give up her duties and responsibilities.

She will take leave until her three-year contract expires June 15, keeping her $157,000-a-year salary and benefits, including $36,000 a year for housing. If she resigns in the meantime, she will keep her salary for the same period but give up her benefits, according to the agreement unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees Monday night.

The agreement caps two years of Landesberg-Boyle's presidency that began full of promise and ended with a campus divided by those who supported her and those who wanted her removed from the position.

``We have no winners tonight,'' Spencer Slate, chairman of the board, said to a packed house at the college's Tennessee Williams Theater, where the special meeting was held.

Landesberg-Boyle had been facing the possibility of being fired at the special meeting, following two previous public meetings in August in which upset and angry employees claimed she was ``abusive,'' ``paranoid'' and allowed a ``toxic workplace.''

For the past three weeks, Landesberg-Boyle had been on a campaign to tell her side, seemingly indicating she would not go down without a fight at Monday night's meeting.

Last week she and her attorney began negotiating with trustee Kim Bassett, considered the swing vote on the board. Bassett said before the negotiations that Landesberg-Boyle had done a lot to improve the school but that she was concerned about the allegations of abuse and mistreatment from employees.

Norman Olsen, interim dean of health professions and a big supporter of Landesberg-Boyle for the advances she brought to the nursing program, said the college is the loser.

``I'm very disappointed,'' he said. ``I think there was a workable solution, but I understand she has probably suffered as much stress and attacks as she could take. She exits with grace, dignity and a lot of class.''

Landesberg-Boyle, former vice president for student affairs at Pennsylvania College of Technology, arrived in the Keys in the summer of 2007 and almost immediately found herself under fire.

Rumors surfaced that she had a bipolar disorder, which she denied. Soon an anonymous campaign to oust her as president began with a flood of e-mails to residents, employees and others. A website called www.savefkcc.com began calling for her ouster with daily posts blasting her.

The college campus became divided between those who supported Landesberg-Boyle and those who wanted her gone. Landesberg-Boyle also went from having unanimous support of the five-member board to one that was divided on her future.

At Monday's special meeting, a packed house expected a long night.

Instead, Landesberg-Boyle spoke first. She cited her numerous accomplishments for the college, acknowledged her mistakes handling employees and apologized for those mistakes.

``I was sarcastic when I should have been more serious, brusque when I should have been more sensitive and often vocal when I should have been silent,'' Boyle said.

She said she spent too much energy focusing on the future, without spending enough time praising people for what they had done in the present.

``I also feel there is a philosophical vibe that can not be overcome,'' Landesberg-Boyle told the crowd. `` I do not wish to contribute to any continuing unhappiness.''

In the agreement, Boyle will be able to keep her office at the Stock Island campus and she will be available for consultation on college matters if requested.

No interim president was appointed. Board attorney Buck Devane said the state's Division of Community Colleges and the chancellor's office can provide the board with a list of names to choose from.

It was decided that Devane and Slate would present a list of names to the full board as early as the Sept. 30 meeting.

It's likely a new search committee will be put together to select a new permanent president.

``I'm glad it's over,'' said director of enrollment Lydia Estenoz, a former Landesberg-Boyle supporter who became an opponent.

``They talked about Dr. Boyle as an agent of change. Now we need a healing agent.''

Board member Ed Scales said: ``I know that there are people here tonight who have powerful feelings. I ask that we put our swords down and unite behind our little school and continue on the path of making this the best damned little community college in the state of Florida. We can do that.''

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