FAMU's embattled interim president Castell Bryant has reportedly been asked to resign, an official announcement could come as early as this week. The controversal Mrs. Bryant has long suffered from a terminal case of ignorance and arrogance.Her frequent battles with the truth became even more apparent, just last week state auditor Bill Monroe noted "discrepancies" with her claims that she never requested an internal review by the school's inspector general, who was later fired.
"Our audit disclosed correspondence from the former Inspector General to the President indicating the President was aware of and had requested the review," Monroe wrote, "and we visually observed the work papers supporting the review."
FAMU's latest operational audit was the worst in the university's 120 year history, turning up some 35 audit exceptions. Mrs. Bryant lead trustees to believe that the prelimary audit was not as bad as it seemed, but state auditors pointed out that the university's response failed to provided sufficient information to turn around even one of the findings.
Bryant also didn't win any friends with her dismal performance at the legislature before the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee earlier this year.
Castell was served with formal notice of her impending retirement by Liz McBride. Liz had until 5 p.m. Friday to serve notice.
News of the impending resignation became public Friday afternoon as a member of the trustees met with alumni officials to aprise them of the situation and the news of the impending resignation began quickly making its way around campus Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Quit lying!
FAMU's books un-auditable
FAMU responds to audit
State Auditors slap FAMU with 35 audit exceptions
Castell overspent budget by more than $22 M
When are the criminal charges going to come???
ReplyDeleteThe best way to start off a new week. Now, let's us know the date, so I can get some boxes for 'ol girl. I'm wearing my orange and green on the laast day of Cast-hell's regin of terror. There is truly a God, as our prayers have been answered.
ReplyDeleteOMG! This is absolutely wonderful news! Yes! Yes! As my mother often says, "The same people you meet on your way up, you'll see on your way down," (or a variation thereof). Yes, yes! There is a God.
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:45,
ReplyDeleteYou might want to take them boxes over to Lee Hall now, she's packing her isht!
CB stands for "Crash and Burn!"
ReplyDeleteWhat went around has come around!
Actually, they asked Castell for her 60 day notice and she refused so they served her with the Board's 60 day notice.
ReplyDeleteSo she got a little attitude and said she'll be gone this week.
Miz Cassie is in dire need of boxes. Alumni, friends and supporters please mail, send or deliver boxes to:
ReplyDeleteAttn: Ms. Kim Borland
400 Lee Hall
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, FL 32307
She needs your help now.
ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO VOTED CASTELL IN AND SUPPORTED HER NEED TO RESIGN ALSO!!!...INCLUDING AL CARDENAS AND REV. HOLMES!!!
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST NEWS! CASTELL BRYANT HAS WREAKED HAVOC AT THE UIVERSITY SINCE SHE CAME ABOARD. MY GOD! WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND! AND STILL, AT THE END, WHEN SHE HAS BEEN ASKED TO RESIGN, GIRLFRIEND COPS AN ATTITUTDE AND TELLS THE BOARD WHAT SHE AIN' GONE DO. HOW DAMN ARROGANT, MEAN & NASTY CAN ONE PERSON BE? NOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE LONG DRIVE DOWN I-75. SHE BROUGHT ALL THIS ON HERSELF, SO SHE HAS NO ONE TO BLAME. BUT KNOWING HER, SHE'LL LOOK FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME HER FIRING ON.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I truly cannot believe it. This feels like heaven. And the nerve of her to cop an attitude after all the mess she has done to hurt FAMU. My boxes are on the way! Let's hope she can feel some sense of what she did to all those FAMU employees 2 years ago when she fired them without notice. What goes around, 'round, 'round, comes right back around and hits you right in the ass soror!
ReplyDeleteWill Debra Austen be leaving with her too? Please don't tell me she will be named acting prez!
ReplyDeleteDebra is out also!
ReplyDeleteSo, here's the big question...who will step in to take the reins of leadership?
ReplyDeleteNow is the time to be careful. People who have nothing to lose are dangerous. The union needs to be prepared to step up to protect those who the leadership want to take out on the way out!
ReplyDeleteIf I ever have the chance, I would like to sit down with her and pretty much ask, WTH wuz you thinking girl?
ReplyDeleteMaybe in a year or so after she has time to ponder and reflect. But that is a conversation I would love to have.
The real answers will come not from her but from the people she had to answer to...those who had a grand design.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to see the feeding frenzy going on at FAMU. We should all be sad that so many little people, without the courage to sign their names, sit comfortably by taking cheap shoots at a person who I believe was trying to "clean-up" gross mismanagement and corruption. I'm sure some of these mystery writers know now and may have know for a good while that some folks are gettin' krazy with the money.
ReplyDeleteIt goes to show you that no good deed goes unpunished.
Sankofa said:
ReplyDeleteWe should all be sad that so many little people, without the courage to sign their names...
Uh- big people! Speaking of not signing their names- You are who?
This is wonderful news!!
ReplyDeleteBut I'll believe it when I see the resignation letter...or the 60 day notice from the board...
RN, keep us posted!
Castell delighted in running down folks BIG and small now she's only getting what's coming to her.
ReplyDeleteCastell birthed Rattler Nation and supplied its pages with plenty of fodder.
12:51--If memory serves me correctly, and I believe that it does, the "little people" are the ones who CVB stepped on and kept getting up, the ones who were abruptly dismissed w/o out appropriate notice or just cause, the ones who have missed paychecks and are (still) behind in their bills, the ones who worked hard for the university and were systematically dismissed without so much of a goodbye, see-ya-later-alligator thanks. Obviously, you have no idea what it is to be terminated and casually dismissed and wholely disrespected by the higher-ups. Yeah, "little people." You termed it right, sister.
ReplyDelete12:42, Castell Bryant did more bad deeds than good. As a matter of fact, for every "good" deed that you can post here, I will give you twenty-five very bad ones. Are you willing to accept the challenge? Now, you can do either of two things: 1. You can put up, or 2. You can shut up.
ReplyDeleteZZZZ-Z-z-zz-z...still waiting.
I rest my case.
I'm just going to put it like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt2i0ts-uck
To Sankofa,
ReplyDeleteDo you honestly believe the University is better off now then it was when she first started?
I remember at one board meeting, when they was voting to fire Gainous, Lowe read off all these reasons why he should be fired. Well Castell list is triple Lowe's original.
I wonder if Dollar General will b at FAMU career fair this year.
ReplyDeleteDang RN,
ReplyDeleteDid you have to get ole gurl like this?
...suffered from a terminal case of ignorance and arrogance.
RN, final exams are over so what took you so long? This news broke over the weekend. The last time I checked was about 9:30a this morning and there was nothing.
ReplyDeleteWhat were ya'll doing? I still love you though !!!
Hell, I fill her tank up!
ReplyDeleteWell I hope this will be a trickle down effect for her cronies like Liz, Deborah, Vincent, Rufus, Altha and the rest of the Get Fresh Crew to leave also...
ReplyDeleteAnon 2:54 pm,
ReplyDeleteIf you would have checked the board, you'll see that we started teasing this on Saturday afternoon.
Da Rattler--I saw y'all teasing with this on Saturday, but dang, I didn't know it would be this kind of wonderfully gracious news. Can't wait to see the Tallahassee Democrat headline on Wednesday?, perhaps. I remember Fred Gainous' ouster headline: "Headed for the Door." I think Castell's should read, "Headed for I-75 South," and not a dadgum day too soon. Hallyluya and praise God Almighty. Now, RN, can you give us the good on who might sit until James Ammons gets here? This is great and wonderful and exhilirating and profound and spectacular and thrilling and stupendous and breathtaking and extraordinary and tremendous and exhalting NEWS! (As you can see, I'm a bit overjoyed at this gargantuan bit of news.) Thanks, RN. We can always depend on you to KUI (that's "Keep Us Informed").
ReplyDeleteda rattler said...
ReplyDeleteAnon 2:54 pm,
If you would have checked the board, you'll see that we started teasing this on Saturday afternoon.
4/30/2007 3:16 PM
Da Rattler sugah, I'm a faithful RN reader and what I'm saying is it wasn't headline news or didn't stand out like CASTELL LIKELY TO RESIGN THIS WEEK!
Is it true Ammons will start on June 1st?
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first person- When will the criminal charges come? We're so glad that that Witch is gone us dunno what to do!
ReplyDeleteI had stopped reading Roosevelt's paper for a while, because of his support of Castell, but he has had two good editorials lately. For those of you who have not read it.
ReplyDeleteI'll put his last paragraph first...
"Things are at their worst right now for FAMU, but there's reason for optimism because on the way is a culture of competence and accountability." Now, the rest.
By Roosevelt Wilson
It was obvious from the beginning that it was a new day for the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees.
In charge was former Vice Chairman Bill Jennings.
Absent was former Chairwoman Challis Lowe, who last week withdrew her name for consideration for a second term after it became apparent she would not be confirmed by the Senate.
For a moment, I didn't know where Jennings was headed when he asked Interim President Castell Vaughn Bryant to share with the board her remarks the previous day to the Board of Governors' task forces looking into FAMU's finances.
Bryant's remarks had been disturbing to a number of trustees. They were a diatribe against FAMU and its alumni. The bitter invective was online shortly after she delivered it and had upset virtually the entire FAMU Nation, leading some bloggers to hang her in electronic effigy and call for her immediate dismissal.
Although the version she read to the board was not delivered with the same contempt and ad-libs as the version she read to the task force, its bitterness and harshness, and her lamenting the loss of Lowe, her dear friend and protector, were still stunning.
For a moment after Bryant finished, there was stone silence.
Bryant previously had made it clear, according to an article in the St. Petersburg Times that she opposed Ammons' appointment and didn't think much of the seven trustees who voted for him.
Lowe voted against Ammons and was on the losing side of the 7-6 vote. She didn't call or send Ammons an e-mail or any other communication until seven days after he was selected.
With that backdrop and the assurance that all trustees participating in the meeting had heard Bryant's remarks, Jennings broke the silence and said in a soft, respectful but firm and no-nonsense voice:
"OK, Dr. Ammons is our president. He'll be here in July. Challis is gone. That's over. All that is behind us. Let us look to the future, stop blaming people and focus on what's in the best interest of Florida A&M University."
Trustees seemed eager to move forward, and approached the meeting in a positive, cooperative spirit. And they got a lot of work done during the four-hour session.
That is a welcomed change to the BOT, and will go a long way toward helping the board repair its image of being a rubber stamp for Bryant.
I want to look forward with hope and great anticipation as well, but it is also my responsibility to comment on issues whether they are positive, negative or indifferent.
That's why I must comment on some of Bryant's statements about the supporters and institution where she earned two degrees and positioned herself to earn a third.
"There are many people in the FAMU community who say they love the university; however, either they don't understand or refuse to acknowledge the competitive changes and pressures that are continuing to take place in education," she said.
That sounds rather academic, but who are these "people in the FAMU community" and what are the "competitive changes and pressures that are continuing to take place in education"?
On what experience in upper-level higher education is Bryant calling on and what are the upper-level conferences, institutes and workshops she has attended to provide her with the expertise to know more than anyone at FAMU about higher education.
Bryant seems paranoid about criticism and even "warned" members of the BOG task force that they are going to be criticized by FAMU alumni.
Using a favorite political tactic of attacking the critic, Bryant labels FAMU alumni, faculty and others who criticize her as people resisting change.
Change? From what to what?
Competent leaders or other change agents must have a vision, clearly defined, sensible, measurable and achievable goals and objectives. And above all, these desired changes must be communicated clearly to the affected parties and, when necessary, the public.
What has been Bryant's vision for FAMU for the past 28 months? What have been her goals and objective?
In her comments last week she used another of those vague, good-sounding goals:
"FAMU must overcome its chronic weaknesses and reaffirm its place on solid ground as one of the proudest institutions of higher learning in Florida."
What exactly does that mean? Where is the plan to get FAMU there? How will we know when FAMU gets there?
Bryant says FAMU needs a culture change, but as she was reminded (or told) by one of the task force members, culture change begins at the top of the organization and goes down, not the opposite. So I ask, where is the culture change in the upper administration?
And Bryant says she wants to be remembered for bringing transparency to FAMU.
Again, that sounds good, but I recall literally citing the state public records law in a letter to Bryant (with copies to trustees) and threatening to file a complaint before I was able to get some of the university's public records.
Empty rhetoric and blaming others for anything negative are sure signs of a leader who acknowledges (or refuses to acknowledge) his/her failure.
It is unfortunate that Bryant chose to lash out so harshly at her critics. Top administrators virtually everywhere, not just at FAMU, know that public criticism comes along with those high-profile jobs. And the ones who can't deal with the criticism usually leave the job or get destroyed by it.
Indeed the entire FAMU Nation is looking for a culture change, but no one expects it until the university seats a new leader.
Meanwhile, FAMU trustees will elect a new leader during their next meeting in May. Fortunately for them, the board's culture changed with the departure of the former leader.
Things are at their worst right now for FAMU, but there's reason for optimism because on the way is a culture of competence and accountability.
This is wonderful news!!! Thanks to everyone that will send boxes!!
ReplyDeleteThat was my request... Castell be on I-75 my sister!! Your job here is done. It's time for a change and a caring spirit at this University!!
Wait a minute! someone posted the statement that Ammons may start on June 1, 2007.
ReplyDeleteCan someone please verify tis info for me/us?
This would be the best news next to Castell being asked to leave.
Will Henry Lewis be the interim, since word has it that he may be the Provost?
ReplyDeleteI am a realist.
ReplyDeleteI think that for the past two years FAMUans have become mentally, emotionally and even physically fatigued from feeling so dejected, defamed, and dissatisfised under this regime that we just NEED a change.
Thank God that this change is a comin' soon and very soon with Ammons. I just hope that we don't elevate him so high that we do not allow him his rights as a human and a leader to make mistakes.
Also, let's not get so caught up in this current Castellian moment and so happy in anticipation of the Post-Castellian moment that we set ourselves up to be like our Board was during their post-Ganious moment.
Remember how they wanted Gainous gone so bad that they let Castell do whatever she wanted to do in order to "cast the hell" that she did?
Let's not make the mistake of uncritically accepting Ammons or his decisions because we are so psychologically worn and just happy Eviline is gone. We set ourselves up for let downs when he makes the inevitable unpopular decisions.
deepbluesea
Henry Lewis: always the bridesmaid, never the bride. He's good people, though. Very competent fellow.
ReplyDelete10:45, I agree that we must not ride this Castellian ship into the deep blue sea so heartily that whatever Dr. Ammons does will be accepted without question. He is human and he will, of course, make mistakes. But whatever mistakes he makes will not be comparable to the havoc the Present Occupant in Lee Hall has made. He is a man, a very smart and competent man, but like all men and women, he does not walk on water, so we must be careful that we allow him the space to make mistakes and not be ready to cast him to the wind as soon as he makes a decision that insiders & outsiders deem incorrect, inappropriate and/or unpopular.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to point out something normally overlooked:
ReplyDeleteAll during the turmoil over FAMU's finances, the controversial firings, the president's actions, students continued to go to class, professors continued to teach.
The university continued.
In nearly all cases, the university continued, at the classroom level, as if all the controversy were not happening at all.
I want to say Thanks! to all the professionals who continued to carry out their duties at FAMU during the leadership crisis we have just been through. You make the university possible. You make us proud!
--What4
well said, What4!
ReplyDeleteMUCH THANKS, 8:35. I am a university professor and we appreciate all of the good words that you have expressed here. Yes, we continued to go to our classes and teach the students who came to the university to learn. The students are certainly not responsible for the behavior of the "real" adults to whom they have entrusted their lives away from home. Often we all get caught up in the madness, but we, the professors, have tried to remain above the fray and continue to do our jobs, which, by the way, we love doing. The students are wonderful and the teaching professionals are wonderful, qualified and dignified professionals who are simply trying to make a difference in the lives of these young people. So any time we get props from the public, we appreciate them. So, again, I say "thank you."
ReplyDeleteThe professors I had were very resilient Rattlers. I appreciate them, and want all faculty and staff know that there are students who hope that you are well taken care of when Dr. Ammons comes back home. I must admit that we students talk, and the stress from inside and outside of RattlerNation is difficult to bear from time to time. Some have done what most people in the state of Florida do, deny. Swimming in willful ignorance of the situation. I even have a hard time talking to family and friends about the great things happening here at FAMU. I need more help.We need a Great campaing for FAMU. Each one reach one. i'm going to talk up FAMU when I get home for the summer. One time for the graduates and Roosevelt Keiser adnDan Parrish.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at the bitterness expressed here. You people can be so mean! I think that Dr. Bryant’s departure should be carried out professionally and within the protocols, procedures and courtesies that she has made a hallmark of this institution: The FAMU Police should serve her notice of dismissal, give her 30 minutes to vacate her office, and escort her out of the building and off the campus!
ReplyDeleteThey may have to take the SBI Dean with her because she is a Castell Clone and major supporter. She will be a spy reporting everything Ammons does to her and the group that will be behind the scenes trying to bring him down.
ReplyDelete^^^ That's when Lydia isn't drunk!
ReplyDeleteDr. Floyd is a recovering achlkie a know?
"30 minutes to vacate her office," 5/01/2007 8:19 PM
ReplyDelete^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's more time then Castell gave others to leave campus. I say pack her stuff and deliver it to her.
8:19--Have you simply lost your mind??? Castell Bryant has NEVER treated anyone with any kind of professionalism since she's been there. So, now, all of a sudden, she's due such courtesies?? Have you forgotten her disrespectful treatment of the professionals whom she screamed at, kicked to the curb with a second's notice, disrespected publicly and privately? Have you forgotten that she wreaked havoc in the lives of working people, while cashing that big phat paycheck every two weeks? Have you gone mad?? Or do you have AMNESIA? Castell Bryant shouldn't be given a damn thing except a friggin police escort out of Lee Hall. Damn.
ReplyDelete8:19--I apologize for my above rant. I only scanned your commentary before I realized your point. My apologies. I see that we are on the same page. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWORD UP: is that CVB isn't going anywhere before her time's up. She's going to stay on until Ammons comes aboard. She has that sixty-day notification clause in her contract that she fully intends on exercising. The woman has mental problems. (Does anyone know anything about her child(ren)? Surely the woman ran a mad house. I would hate to be related to that woman, even as a 10th third cousin four times removed.
ReplyDeleteThey need to have her ass escorted off campus by police escort, so that she can feel the embarrasment that others had to endure when she fired them!!!
ReplyDeleteI think that Castell try to make Debra the scapegoat for a lot of things. Regardless of how she got here, the woman has "comman sense," and she takes a practical comman sense approach to handling her business. She just has to run everything through that micromanaging psychopath.
ReplyDeleteWho has common sense? I hope you are not talking about "I can't find, oh I forgot to bring, let me see if I can remember" Debra Austin.
ReplyDeletePlease give me a break. Why do you think she's at FAMU and not the Chancellor anymore?
I am talking bout Debra. She has more sense than Janie, Vivian and the rest of them.
ReplyDeleteYall keep talkin' 'bout Castell. Eva Wanton was running the school.
ReplyDeleteWhat you mean Eva running things.
ReplyDeleteEva can't see how to run her own bath water.
God I thank you for forgiving me for saying that. But she is evil just for staying there with CastHELL and put her chillings (children) in this mess.
Oh yea, Walter Smith give that money back and transition yourself out of FAMU's pocket
Eva was running things. she would single handedly undo decisions that departments made about what they thought was best for them. She even let Ed Leadership students that were kicked out back in.
ReplyDeleteShe has access to a pot of money and she would give students scholarships and
stuff. She signed off on everything.
She was the vicarious president.
The NNN is reporting that today at 5:00 pm is Castell's last day.
ReplyDeletewhat's the NNN? and whoever they are, what's their authority to get that fool up out of Lee Hall? Do they have the authority to gas up her vihicle and get her on I-75 South? That's the kind of authority I'm looking for: Exit Authority> Damn the "orders." Orders don't mean diddly, if you ain' got authority to make the orders work.
ReplyDeleteI am taking up a collection to buy Castell a going away gift of the collector's edition of the Westerns she likes.
ReplyDeleteWe'll start with Raw HIde. Any contributions?
10:51, count me in. But let me do the whipping at the post.
ReplyDeleteIrreplaceable
ReplyDeleteDedicated to Castell & Co.
HMMMMM
To the left
To the left
Everything you own in the box to the left
It’s in the audit
That’s our stuff
If FAMU bought it
Please don’t touch
Keep talking that trash that’s fine
But could you board your broom at the same time
And it’s FAM’s name that’s on that Tag
So get to steppin you triflin’ Hag
Standing up in Lee Hall
Tellin us how we just a fool
Talking bout –
we’ll never ever ever find a Prez like you
You got us twisted
You must not know bout FAM
You must not know bout FAM
We can have another Prez in a minute
Matter a fact he’ll be here in minute
Casty
You must not know bout FAM
You must not know bout FAM
We will have another Prez by tomorrow
So don’t you ever for a second get to thinkin
You’re irreplaceable
So go ahead and get gone
Call up Challis and see if she home
Oops I bet you thought that we didn’t know
What you think we are firin’ your ass for
Cause yall was untrue
Lyin and stealin and doin what you want to
So Casty drop off them keys
And hurry up before yo broomstick leave
Standing up in Lee Hall
Tellin us how we just a fool
Talking bout –
We’ll never ever ever find a Prez like you
You got us twisted
You must not know bout FAM
You must not know bout FAM
We can have another Prez in a minute
Matter a fact he’ll be here in minute
Casty
You must not know bout FAM
You must not know bout FAM
We will have another Prez by tomorrow
So don’t you ever for a second get to thinkin
You’re irreplaceable
So you robbed FAMU of everything
But how about she’s still something
Though she’s nothing at all to you
But we won’t shed a tear for you
We won't lose a wink of sleep
Cause the truth of the matter is
Replacin you with James was so easy
HMMMMM
To the left
to the left
To the left
to the left
To the person who posted the Irreplaceable "remix," I must say that is a very creative to vent your frustrations!!!!
ReplyDelete