St. Bonaventure Official Dies of Apparent Suicide

BUFFALO, N.Y. — William Swan, a banking chief executive who helped St. Bonaventure University weather an eligibility scandal as the school’s board chairman, died of an apparent suicide. He was 55.

Swan, who was found by his wife at their home Wednesday night, had been “despondent over issues that had occurred as a result of his positions” at the university, state police said. The coroner was conducting an autopsy.

Police wouldn’t say how he died. But emergency workers responded to a report of a hanging at Swan’s suburban Clarence home, according to fire control reports.

The Atlantic 10 Conference stripped St. Bonaventure of six victories and barred it from postseason play in March after forward Jamil Terrell was ruled ineligible for violating NCAA junior college transfer guidelines. The scandal further cut the basketball season short because players boycotted the Bonnies’ final two games.

During a session of the school’s board, Swan and the trustees sought and received the resignation of university President Robert Wickenheiser.

Swan was a 1969 graduate of St. Bonaventure and had been a board member since 1990, serving as vice chairman for two years before he was appointed chairman in August 2000.