By BRIAN WITTE
Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - An email from Maryland's university system chancellor promoting a jewelry company's offer triggered a chain of events that led to a grievance over alleged retaliation and a settlement signed by the chancellor. That's according to emails and documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The documents show Chancellor Robert Caret's then-chief of staff raised ethics concerns about Caret's proposal to three university presidents that they consider university logo-branded charm bracelets by Pandora Jewelry. She then filed a grievance, in which she alleged Caret had retaliated against her, just days after she raised the ethics concern. Caret later signed a settlement of the grievance.

In a recent interview, Caret acknowledged he shouldn't have sent the email, though he says he did not retaliate against his former chief of staff.

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