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Post by Aggie One on Jun 16, 2016 9:22:32 GMT -5
FAMU Board of Trustees may soon decide to oust yet another chancellor.
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Post by Aggie One on Jun 16, 2016 9:29:35 GMT -5
Friday, June 10, 2016
4 former FAMU presidents advise against renewing Mangum’s contract
Yesterday, four former Florida A&M University presidents advised against granting a contract extension to current President Elmira Mangum. Former Presidents Frederick S. Humphries (1985-2001) and Fred J. Gainous (2002-2004), as well as former Interim Presidents Henry Lewis (2002) and Castell V. Bryant (2005-2007), announced their position in an open letter to the FAMU Board of Trustees. “With some sadness, we are of the collective opinion that a favorable renewal of the President's contract will not be in the best interest of FAMU,” they wrote. The four presidents were joined by seven other signatories: former FAMU Trustee R.B. Holmes, Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Joseph T. Wright, Tallahassee National Action Chapter Vice-President Don W. Tolliver, Leon County Commission Chairman William “Bill” Proctor, former FAMU Student Body President Umi Selah (a.k.a., Phillip Agnew), former FAMU National Alumni Association President Tommy Mitchell, Sr., and former FAMU Faculty Senate President Narayan Persaud. For the rest of the story: rattlernation.blogspot.com/2016/06/4-former-famu-presidents-advise-against.html
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Post by aggierattler on Jun 16, 2016 11:14:43 GMT -5
From the Tallahassee Democrat (Monday, 6/13/16) EditorialLet President Mangum do her job Over the last few weeks, my email and social media feeds have been inundated with articles and opinion pieces regarding the continued discord between certain of Florida A& M’s Board of Trustee members, certain alumni and President Mangum. The opinions have been long on subjectivity and emotional ramblings relative to people’s personal feelings and/or misgivings about President Mangum, her personality and management style and short on substance and objectivity relative to the work she is doing (or not doing) for the students and the university.
To say these last few weeks have been disappointing is an understatement. I am beyond proud to be an alumna of Florida A& M, but for the first time in almost 20 years, I hesitated when someone asked me from where I received my undergraduate degree.
Two years ago, this board’s predecessors (some of whom are current members) hired Dr. Mangum, making her the first female president in FAMU’s history. She assumed this position during challenging times for FAMU. In her two years as president, she has, in my view, made significant gains in changing the perception of FAMU among prospective students. She has ignited a fire in alumni such that alumni giving has almost tripled.
Has her presidency been without hiccups? Of course not. But change never is easy. It will be met with opposition (which she’s seen), dissent (which she’s faced) and folks who would prefer things remain status quo (and there are several).
However, if you ask the students – the recipients of her efforts – they state she’s engaged and is making significant changes. Will everyone be happy? No. Dr. Mangum is not necessarily warm and fuzzy; she is implementing unpopular but needed changes. She is changing expectations and focusing on students. Moreover, despite what appears to be a concerted effort to undermine and dismantle the change she is attempting to implement, she and her administration have endeavored to move FAMU forward.
In the last 10 years we have had six presidents. We need stability.
Failing to extend Dr. Mangum’s contract without some concrete substantive evidence she is doing harm to the institution jeopardizes this stability and the university’s ability to maintain its accreditation, receive funding, raise much needed dollars from alumni and corporate sponsors, and more importantly attract and retain top students. The current students deserve and need stability at the helm. Lack of stability creates a culture of uncertainty.
Finally, the optics of failing to renew Dr. Mangum’s contract without any articulated objective reasons are not positive. She is the first female president who, since she assumed her role, has been micromanaged, wrongly accused and faced two separate termination attempts. Often these challenges came from men. As a woman in a male dominated profession, I am offended at any insinuation Dr. Mangum is unqualified. We are blessed to have her. She is impressive and should be provided the opportunity to do her job – leading FAMU forward. Monica Williams Harris, Esq., is a graduate of FAMU’s School of Business and Industry.
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