The South Carolina State University trustee board met in two executive sessions during a special meeting held Wednesday. No votes were taken.
Board Chairman Rodney Jenkins had said that the special meeting involved a personnel matter. The board was following up on the matter from a special January meeting.
At the Wednesday meeting, Jenkins gave no details in his opening statements about the nature of the personnel matter before the board. The first executive session lasted nearly three hours.
"I have no comments at this time," Jenkins said.
Only voting members of the board were allowed in the executive session and not ex-officio members.
The S.C. State Faculty Senate has passed a resolution stating it has no confidence in university President James Clark, with low enrollment and the return to classroom learning being key issues.
The Faculty Senate voted 18-2 in favor the resolution on March 2.
Members of an ad hoc committee created to increase S.C. State’s enrollment have questioned the process the Faculty Senate used to issue the vote of no confidence in the university’s president.
During Wednesday’s meeting, trustee Macie Smith asked, "So, just for clarity, trustee (David) Staten will not be in executive session?
“I do have some questions for him. Can you advise me on when and how those questions should be posed to him since he is the president of the Faculty Senate?"
The president of the Faculty Senate is an ex officio member of the board.
Jenkins said, "I have a report for the board at a later point from the Faculty Senate. ... That will not be a part of the general discussion at this point in the meeting."
He added, "This is a personnel matter that we are discussing today, and based on what was asked for the special meeting, I'm following what you guys asked, the items that were put on the agenda for a special meeting. I don't remember those particular items as a part of that. So I want to follow up in that manner."
There was also a question about who authorized the creation of an ad hoc committee on enrollment and then for members to address the media regarding the vote of no confidence.
“We won't address questions that you have at this time. ... I've asked you guys for your comments. You have made your comments. They are duly noted,” Jenkins said.
“The chair's responsibility is for continuing the work of South Carolina State right now with the voting members. I can say we have heard from the National Alumni (Association), we have heard from the Faculty Senate, we have heard from the Faculty Staff, we have heard from the students,” the chairman said.
The board reconvened into open session following its first executive session before heading back into another executive session for nearly an hour to discuss a legal matter.
No vote was taken following the second executive session and the meeting was adjourned.
“Just for the record, let it be stated that in executive session that the board received legal advice on the point of order that was raised. No other action or discussion took place,” S.C. State Counsel Pete Balthazor said.
Jenkins said following the meeting that the report from the Faculty Senate could possibly be taken up at the board's meeting in June.
“I can only say possibly. When I do make a statement, I want to have a statement that's more meaningful to people. Just making statements that will not be fully engaged, I don't think it's beneficial to us, to the public or the university. I think we want to be fully engaged on what we have to do,” the chairman said.
“The board is serious and working toward making certain that we are being responsible in all of our approaches. We will act in the most appropriate manner for the university, particularly as situations may arise. At this point, the executive session discussion did not yield any action to be taken by the board,” he said.
He added, “South Carolina State and this board and all its stakeholders are wanting the best for South Carolina State. We just want to do all that in the most responsible manner.”
National Alumni Association President John Funny issued a statement Wednesday night expressing disappointment that the trustees took no action on Clark’s employment.
He cited declining enrollment and a lack of planning, saying they are the result of failed leadership.
“The president has lost the confidence of the Alumni Association, students, faculty and staff alike,” Funny said.
Funny asked university trustees to identify and share improvements at the university that alumni may have overlooked.
“Otherwise, the board should be acting in a capacity to serve in the best interest of the university and the students, not in the interest of external influence, such as legislators, which is a (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) violation,” he said.
Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD.
April 01, 2021 at 08:00AM
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Trustees gather in closed meeting; Funny: President lost confidence of SCSU alumni - The Times and Democrat
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