Virginia Union President Resigns to Take Job With NCAA
RICHMOND, Va.
The president of Virginia Union University has resigned to take a job with the National Collegiate Athletic Association beginning in November.
Dr. Bernard W. Franklin submitted his resignation to the historically Black school's board of trustees last month. He has been president of the Richmond institution since 1999.
Franklin will serve at the NCAA's Indianapolis headquarters as senior vice president for governance and membership. He is a former vice chairman of the association's Division II Presidents Council and a member of its executive committee.
His departure comes as the university faces a difficult financial situation. Last year, Virginia Union laid off 16 employees, including several high-ranking administrators, citing a $1 million deficit it blamed on stock market declines and the state government's fiscal crisis.
Before joining Virginia Union, Franklin served as president of St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, N.C., and of Livingstone College and Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury, N.C.
