hawkeye
Official BDF member
Posts: 243
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Post by hawkeye on May 30, 2007 5:36:27 GMT -5
No matter what you think of the decision to named the building after Renick, the BOT decision to reversed themselves makes them look incompetent and embarrasses the university. Are they trying to humilate Renick? The man is now the number 2 person of the most powerful higher education organization in this country. Leave the man alone. I hope he remains an Aggie supporter.
Dr Speight has done alot for A&T and to be in charge of this is not one of her brightest moments. Hopefully the 500k to 1 million dollar donation she gave A&T doesn't entitle her to irrational influence.
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Post by Aggie911 on May 30, 2007 5:59:44 GMT -5
Article published May 30, 2007
N.C. A&T’s recovery could take years
By Lanita Withers Staff Writer
ADVERTISEMENT
GREENSBORO — It could take N.C. A&T three years to completely address and recover from the findings of an internal audit report, Velma Speight-Buford, chairwoman of the university's board of trustees, said Tuesday.
The university is also responsible for repaying about $550,000 in mismanaged federal grant money, Speight-Buford said.
The report by internal auditors found evidence of poor oversight, nepotism and forgery, and recommended a criminal investigation. Auditors pinpointed about $2 million that had been misappropriated, overspent, illegally gained or misused in recent years.
The July arrival of A&T's new chancellor, Stanley Battle, could mark a new start for the university. Incoming chancellors are allowed to choose their own senior level administrators, including all vice chancellors, the university attorney and the athletics director, Speight-Buford said.
Earlier this spring, all those positions were declared vacant, and the university began accepting applications. If sitting administrators were interested in keeping their jobs, they had to reapply, she said.
Speight-Buford said senior and midlevel staff members should have been on top of some of the problems listed in the report.
"If I were Dr. Battle looking at this, I'd be looking for people I could be comfortable with," she said.
Battle was on A&T's campus over the holiday weekend.
"I'm just tired of talking. I want to go to work," Battle said Tuesday from Baltimore.
He's been kept up to speed of all the developments on campus, he said: "I can see the change in attitude just sitting down with people on the campus. I can see they are anxious to go to work and make the corrections and adjustments that need to be made."
Battle has had experience addressing problematic audits — he inherited a similar situation when he arrived at Coppin State University in 2003, he said.
"That's why I look at where A&T is at, and it's very, very, very doable," he said.
The genesis of the audits was tied to the institution's search for a new leader, Speight-Buford said. Last summer, the chancellor search committee held forums with key constituencies seeking input on the qualities desired in A&T's next chief.
"At every meeting, we had somebody who wanted to tell us what was wrong with the university," Speight-Buford said.
She asked those with concerns to submit them, compiling an 11-page document for interim Chancellor Lloyd V. Hackley when he came on board late last spring.
Several of those concerns — including a conflict of interest in the Division of Information Technology and Telecommunications, rumblings about the mismanagement of a naval grant in the College of Engineering and the depositing of Pepsi contract money into the chancellor's discretionary account at the A&T Foundation — were addressed in the auditor's report.
"I'm grateful we identified our own issues," Speight-Buford said.
The chairwoman also revealed the name of a former employee under criminal investigation.
Speight-Buford said former A&T administrator Anna Anita Huff was the Office of Naval Research program manager who was fired for allegedly misspending an estimated $500,000 from a Office of Naval Research grant, including paying large amounts in tuition, travel and fees for herself and family members.
A man who identified himself as Mr. Huff declined to comment Tuesday evening at the family's lakefront home on Clovelly Drive east of town, saying he knew nothing about the audit.
Speight-Buford said the most important statement in the auditors' report was that the budget of the university was not tied to its mission or strategic plan.
"If your budget is not tied to your mission or your strategic plan, tell me how you're going to be successful?" she asked.
The university's emphasis should be on its 11,000 students, she said.
Aggies had plenty to say Tuesday about their institution's audit report.
Courtney Copeland, a rising sophomore, said she expected more from the university.
"This is supposed to be an institution for people to better themselves, and you can't even trust the school with your money," she said on campus Monday.
Jason Perry, a senior, said administrators should receive the same scrutiny that students receive.
"I still have faith in A&T," he said, "but I think as far as examining the way they examine us to make sure we're doing everything that we need to be doing, we need to examine the administration to make sure they're doing everything they need to be doing and fire them accordingly."
Despite the damage the reports may have done to their school — and their trust — students said they still believe in A&T.
"I feel kind of betrayed because you trust these people, and they're supposed to be for your well-being," said Lauren Ettson, a senior. "You're wondering why certain programs can't go on and certain things can't happen, and it's because certain people are using or abusing their power.
"But, I still have faith in the A&T institution, and I'm sure they'll get it back together."
Staff writers Taft Wireback and D.L. Wise contributed to this report.
Contact Lanita Withers at 373-7071 or lwithers@news-record.com
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Copyright © 2007 The News & Record and Landmark Communications, Inc.
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Post by dj98 on May 30, 2007 7:10:37 GMT -5
D. Todd, you might be in trouble........... Battle might clear you out...........
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Post by aggiejazz on May 30, 2007 7:21:14 GMT -5
Dr. Battle needs to get himself the best search committee he can find so he can find and hire the right people for those positions. The type of senior management people who are smart, energetic and ethical .
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Post by Bornthrilla on May 30, 2007 7:46:32 GMT -5
This is what is known as a scorched-earth policy. The Wicked Witch of East Market Street is trying to take out all of her remaining enemies in one full swoop - Godfather Part 2 style.
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Post by DOOMS on May 30, 2007 7:52:36 GMT -5
Battle probably knows who he needs to hire already.
As for Todd, I don't think Battle's gonna move her. I don't think he's that interested in athletics. Just look at Coppin's baseball and softball team. Methinks he's a "here's your budget, don't bother me" type when it comes to athletics.
As for Speight, something is just really weird with that board. They are honestly acting like a person acts when they trust somebody and that somebody robs them blind and leaves town.
These N&R articles are par for the course at almost every institution of higher learning at one time or another. It must be a slow news week for them to continue to push overstated article after overstated article up our collective a$$. Somebody needs to start a dogfighting ring at Greensboro College so they'll find something else to talk about.
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Post by Bornthrilla on May 30, 2007 8:17:36 GMT -5
I wonder if Todd even bothered to re-apply or at this point is she just like "fugg it".
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Post by Bigboy on May 30, 2007 9:50:27 GMT -5
Dam, I had almost forgot about Todd with all this audit sheeet going on. Back to the good stuff!!!!
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@ProfBellamy
Official BDF member
Aggie Born, Aggie Bred
Posts: 764
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Post by @ProfBellamy on May 30, 2007 10:52:58 GMT -5
Well, I haven't seen the AD's job wasn't posted for hire as of yet..., but she does serve at the pleasure of the Chancellor. So, Battle could have a replacement without doing a search process or she will be staying in the interim. The Senior Admin positions that I know which were put up for advertisement were: VC-Business and Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, Provost-Academic Affairs, University Relations, Legal Counsel, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor. (I don't remember seeing Student Affairs, but sadly Dr. Welborne will be gone soon, again.)
July 1....will be a new day.
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Post by Bornthrilla on May 30, 2007 11:07:56 GMT -5
Actually, she serves at the pleasure of her current contract. Do we really want to even think about another buy-out scenario?
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Post by DOOMS on May 30, 2007 11:12:19 GMT -5
I guess it depends on what the contract says. It may state that the term is null and void if the Chancellor leaves.
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Post by da heretic on May 30, 2007 11:20:47 GMT -5
What are the circumstances under which the board of trustees is subject for removal (too lazy to research it)?
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Post by Bornthrilla on May 30, 2007 11:28:51 GMT -5
If that's the case I'm sure Dee would have been on monster.com as soon as Renick flew the coop. There's no way she would have come to A&T unless she was given a longterm guaranteed deal.
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Post by Bornthrilla on May 30, 2007 11:30:27 GMT -5
Dooms, get off your azz and send in your resume!
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Maxell
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Director of BDF Marketing
Posts: 12,468
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Post by Maxell on May 30, 2007 11:38:12 GMT -5
Dooms, get off your azz and send in your resume! Yep.
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