Last week, Gee was reappointed to the board he has served on since 2000 at Massey’s annual shareholders meeting in Richmond.

The announcement came after environmentalists had called for Gee’s resignation.

Environmental groups Earthjustice, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the Sierra Club sent a letter May 7 to Gee, asking that he resign from the board.

“Your association with Massey Energy undermines your own standing as an advocate for clean energy sources and confers undeserved credibility on Massey’s terrible environmental record,” the letter said.

Gee told a student newspaper he would not heed environmentalists’ request that he step down from the Massey Energy Co. board of directors. Gee insisted that he could do more environmental good on the board than off.

Early shareholder voting results indicated Gee had been elected to serve a three-year term on the Massey Energy board .

Massey Energy Chairman and CEO Don L. Blankenship on May 29 announced that “after nearly nine years of exemplary service to the company,” Gee stepped down to focus on his responsibilities as Ohio State president, according to a news release.

Blankenship explained, in the release, "Massey Energy appreciates and understands Dr. Gee's desire to devote his attention to Ohio. Since 2000, Dr. Gee has served Massey Energy with distinction. His wisdom, advice and experience will be greatly missed."

Gee spoke to the environmentalists’ desires in a videotaped interview with The Lantern, Ohio State’s student newspaper.

The environmental groups took issue with Massey Energy’s use of mountaintop mining and valley fills in its mining practices.

Valley fills are created when rock and rubble covering coal seams is removed and strategically dumped in nearby ravines. Environmental groups say the practice chokes streams and pollutes water.

Gee was Ohio State president from 1990 until 1998, chancellor of Vanderbilt University from 2000 until 2007 and president of Brown University from 1998 until 2000.

He also serves as the director of Gaylord Entertainment Company, Hasbro, Inc. and Limited Brands, Inc., according to the Massey Energy Web site.