5-13-14 uw spokesman

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A newly hired top-level communications director for the University of Wisconsin System was fired last year as University of Arkansas spokesman following a disagreement with that school's handling of an open records request filed by a newspaper.  UW System announced Friday that John Diamond had been selected as interim associate vice president for external relations and strategic communications. Diamond was fired last fall by the University of Arkansas for insubordination after a confrontation with his direct supervisor.  Diamond has said he was fired because of disagreements over the school's openness and accountability to the public.  Diamond is a former Democratic state representative from Maine, who served eight years in public office there before working 21 years as an administrator at the University of Maine and three years in Arkansas.