MONTGOMERY, Ala. ― The Alabama State University Board of Trustees has voted to suspend President Gwendolyn Boyd, saying it had lost confidence in her.
WSFA-TV reports that Boyd called the events that led to her suspension Friday “disappointing” and said she was surprised by the developments.
When asked if she thinks she’ll ever be ASU’s president again, her response: “I have no idea.”
“This is a good place. This is my home. This is my institution and there are so many opportunities here with the things we’ve set in place ― to start engineering and technology to move things forward,” Boyd said. “So I want the institution to thrive. Whether or not I’m here is up to them. But I do want Alabama State University to succeed and thrive.”
Boyd has served as president less than three years.
Following her suspension, the board appointed Provost Dr. Leon Wilson to serve as interim president.
A hearing on the matter is scheduled Nov. 14.
The board met Friday to discuss the university’s budget but instead voted to immediately suspend Boyd. There had been rumors of university employees being asked to take one furlough day each month as part of the 2017 budget.
Though Boyd’s tenure would see accreditation warnings, credit drops, dips in enrollment and a $24 million budget crisis, The Montgomery Advertiser reports the university was in turmoil before unanimously voting to hire her in January 2014.
In November 2012 allegations of improper contracts at the school triggered a forensic investigation. No criminal fraud activity was found as a result.
Wilson declined comment on whether he agreed with the board’s decision to suspend Boyd.
“Frankly, I don’t like where we are at this moment and we’re going to look for a way to move forward,” Wilson told WSFA. “To the students I say ― give us time to make sure that we can get the university back on track.”
