FAYETTEVILLE (March 10, 2021) – Schools in the UNC System are highly regarded across the nation and around the globe. But if they continue to be politicized, that reputation will quickly wither.
With the recent appointment of Darrell Allison as Chancellor at Fayetteville State University, the UNC Board of Governors hired one of its own – Allison resigned from the Board of Governors in September to apply for the job.1
Allison’s mother-in-law also served on the Board of Trustees at FSU, though she says she recused herself from the search process. She resigned from the board the day before Allison was named Chancellor.2
In part because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Fayetteville State has been without a permanent chancellor for roughly a year and a half.
The campus – one of five Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the UNC System – deserves a strong leader. But the Board of Governors ensured that Allison arrives under a cloud of suspicion and likely made his job harder in the process.
Faculty, students and some alumni have revolted – the FSU Faculty Senate passed a resolution that asks the school’s Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors to declare a failed search and rescind Allison’s appointment.3
The Faculty Senate passed another resolution saying the process by which Allison was chosen could place FSU’s accreditation at risk.4
At least two outlets have cited anonymous sources – including FSU trustees – to report that Allison was not among the finalists recommended by the university’s search committee.5
The Faculty Senate asked the Board of Trustees to provide evidence that Allison was one of the finalists, but the board said it considers the matter confidential under state law.6
If the reports are true and the Board of Governors dictated that their recently departed colleague be included among the finalists for FSU’s chancellor, it’s yet another case of micromanagement by a Board that has established a reputation for meddling in campus affairs in recent years. It’s also a threat to shared governance with UNC System campuses.
The Board of Governors adopted a new chancellor search policy in September that will let the System President suggest as many as two candidates for chancellor at a UNC System campus, and at least one of the candidates would have to be included among the finalists the campus recommends to the President.
System officials said at the time that the new policy would not apply to chancellor searches at East Carolina University and Fayetteville State because those searches were already underway when the policy was adopted.7
Allison has a bachelor’s degree from NC Central University and a law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. He has served on the NCCU Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors.
But some question his lack of experience in teaching at or administering a university.8 An online petition launched by passionate alumni labels the selection process “fraudulent” and says Allison lacks the “education, knowledge and experience” to serve as chancellor. It has collected more than 2,500 signatures to date.9
More than 60 candidates from across the country applied to become Fayetteville State’s new chancellor. If the UNC System continues to choose politically connected locals, that pool of applicants will surely shrink with the next opening. So much for that global reputation.
1 https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/2021/02/18/new-fsu-chancellor-a-former-member-of-unc-board-of-governors/6755743002/.
2 https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/2021/02/25/fayetteville-state-universitys-chancellor-elect-had-relative-board/4553486001/.
3 https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/2021/02/26/fayetteville-state-university-faculty-call-reinstall-chancellor-valentine/6836844002/.
4 https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/2021/03/04/fayetteville-state-chancellor-selection-causes-accreditation-concerns/6887328002/.
5 http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2021/02/24/pw-special-report-how-did-darrell-allison-cut-in-line-to-become-the-new-chancellor-at-fayetteville-state-its-a-secret/; https://www.wral.com/former-chancellor-questions-process-used-to-pick-fayetteville-state-s-new-leader/19542479/.
6 https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/2021/03/06/fayetteville-state-trustees-mum-chancellor-search-details/6919410002/.
7 https://hew.aveltsagency.com/2020/09/chancellor-searches-applicant-pool/.
8 https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/2021/02/26/fayetteville-state-university-faculty-call-reinstall-chancellor-valentine/6836844002/.
9 https://www.change.org/p/alma-adams-removal-of-the-newly-appointed-fayetteville-state-university-chancellor.
Celia R Hooper says
FSU had a strong interim chancellor in Dr. Peggy Valentine. She provided great leadership and I hope her efforts are appreciated. I filled in for her at WSSU while she was at FSU and I see what great work she did first hand.