The best presidential executive assistant in recent FAMU memory is Mrs. Sylvia Pettis. She was a class act: poised, professional, and personable. It's no wonder that strong presidents like Fred Humphries and Henry Lewis kept her.
If Ralph Coleman has been sent home, then expect Rev. R.B. Holmes to come out swinging, again. Coleman is a longtime member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and is very close to his pastor. His wife teaches and Sunday School and there and they have children that they need to support, as well.
Coleman has been working at FAMU very loyaly for almost three decades. While not perfect, he definitely deserves more humane and professional treatment than this.
Ralph deserves better than this. Undoubtedly, R.B. Holmes has already caught wind of this -- and it's going to be like a red flag has been waved in front of a bull.
I can't imagine how embarrassed Holmes must be now. He was part of Corbin's plot to rig the interim presidential selection in Bryant's favor. He welcomed Bryant back into the church and used to praise her performance from the pulpit.
Now, Bryant is threatening morale inside Holmes' congregation. Loyal Bethelites (SBI professors, staffers, etc.) are being sent to the unemployment line. The pastor who told all these men and women to trust Bryant now appears impotent to do anything to stop her.
Word is spreading that a growing group of Holmes' FAMU-employed congregants feel betrayed by him. Many have rightfully criticized him for dragging his feet on the presidential search process. Had Holmes done his job to get the search going in an expeditious manner, FAMU would already have a permanent president and the Bethelites facing unemployment would still have steady jobs at the university.
Holmes definitely cannot escape blame in this. He assisted Corbin's backdoor efforts to bring Bryant in, gave her unchecked power to tear FAMU apart, and deliberately slowed down the process to replace her.
These actions of betrayal started back in 2005. It started with the five coaches; and then rest of the former employees in research services, housing, Billy Joe, the Institute, were all dismissed without cause. R.B. Holmes, Corbin, Lowe, and Castell will submit to a higher authority for all this and we will live to witness. We can only pray that FAMU will survive these atomic attacks. Ralph Coleman and the more recent ones to be fired can join the club of former FAMU employees wrongfully dismissed.
Ralph Coleman was one of the meanest, nastiest, laziest individuals that ever worked at FAMU. He was shiftless and did absolutely nothing.
I certainly do not agree with the way he has been released and sympathize with the affect this will have on his family, especially with his wife being a big time Delta and all.
He is not a very nice person. Along, with Col Joe and others in Student Affairs, he talked and gossiped about everyone on and off campus.
Now the shoe is on the other foot. Let's see what his pastor does to save him.
BTW, this is the second wave of Housing employees to be terminated. The first occurred last spring and I believe they are still on administrative leave while the union works their grievance out with the university.
The pastor who told all these men and women to trust Bryant now appears impotent to do anything to stop her?
Rev. Holmes is one of the best teachers I have ever sat and listened to. He preaches and teaches TRUST GOD over everything else.
By the way, message board writers, why don't you all talk about other pastors in Tallahassee who have many FAMU employees that have been affected? Don't think I've ever seen these names mentioned: Walker, Rush, Simmons, Richardson, Proctor, Ledford, Williams, Green. What are the other preachers saying to their parishioners?
My family's morale at Bethel has not been affected by Castell. And we are loyal to our God, our church family and our pastor! And our family has had people terminated unjustly from positions at the University. Our family follows Jesus, and not Castell or Pastor Holmes, which is what we should do, as well as you, the readers of this MB. If the Civil Rights movement, and all of the struggles we had at Bethel with the "world" as a whole didn't bring our morale down, surely no one in their right mind should think that Castell, or any other "Stell" will have a great affect on our lives. Hope all of you are serious praying people. HOLD YOUR HEADS UP IF YOUR MORALE IS DOWN! P U T A B I G S M I L E on your face. Start that business that you have been trying to start for the last 20 years. File a lawsuit against the University, if you feel that your civil rights have been violated!
OCR encourages students and parents, representatives of education institutions, and other OCR customers to use e-mail or fax to communicate with OCR, whenever possible. Also, complainants may file a complaint with OCR, online, at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintprocess.html.
DO YOU HAVE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT? Have your civil rights been stepped on (age, gender, disability, race, etc.)
If you feel that your rights are violated, and you are afraid to go out on your own, get others who have been violated to contact the Office of Civil Rights together. If you think Jeb has his auditor generals responding to their whistleblower complaints, just wait and see how OCR will have people jumping.
DON'T JUST COMPLAIN - FILE A COMPLAINT!
Castell, Vince June and none of those other administrators should have that much control over your lives! H O L D Y O U R H E A D S U P !
Just to help that last writer out - here's other contact information.
Empower Yourselves!
Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202-1100 (202) 245-6800; 1-800-421-3481 FAX: (202) 245-6840; TDD: (877) 521-2172 E-mail: OCR@ed.gov Web: http://www.ed.gov/ocr
And a message to Dr. June, Castell, et.al. from Dwight D. Eisenhower: You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership.
Hitting over head = messing with their heads = robbing them of the ability to take care of their families as the head of their homes.
Even deeper than the last writer's quote, "Power takes as ingratitude the writhing of its victims." (Rabindranath Tagore)
If I need to explain that to anyone, let me know.
TO ALL: I agree with the past two messages. Don't let these people know that they had that much control over your lives. Tell your PASTORS, tell your church members, tell your loving family that you laughed and ate with at the annual family reunion this year, tell everyone - that you need a job. FAMU is NOT (and I repeat NOT) the only place to work in this world, or in this state, nor in this city. June is NOT Dennis, and Castell is NOT Katrina. They, and others like them, will destroy you if you don't have a solid foundation. GO FORWARD! DON'T LOOK BACK! REBUILD! (and contact OCR, if needed) Amen.
I can only speak of Mr. Coleman's character as it it relates to me. I do know that whenever I called him to ask his help he made himself available. If he couldn't he would direct me in the right direction. I have sent many students to FAMU and have told them find Mr. coleman when they get on campus. And not once has Ralph Coleman turned those students away.
I graduated from FAMU in 1981 and have returned to the campus each year for Homecoming. I read this board and it is very seldom that I make a comment of any kind. But inspite of all the turmoil FAMU is going through at this time, I just refuse to throw stones and impeach anyone's character. Nor do I engage in or feed into gossip. I am not at FAMU on an everyday basis, and I have no earthly idea of the inner actions of the employees. And I really could care less. We all need to be focused on our beloved FAMU and not he say, she say. My concern will always be FAMU and me doing what I can to support the insitution and not an individual. Certainly, I am at a loss for words when I see the direction that the university is taking. I do know from my years in corporate America that no one person is getter than the whole. Through all this I have made a vow to become more active in my local alumni chapter, as for so long I have just been a dues paying member. I realize that I need to do more and become more active. Not just from a financial standpoint but from one that is vocal. I have always been taught that if you haven't tried to recify a situation, then you have no reason to criticize.
I don't understand why people are surprised. Castell said that she was going to reduce substantially the number of employees at our institution and she is doing exactly what she said that she would do. Just who did we expect to loose if it's not people we knew?
Although I hate to see anyone lose their job, Raplph has been riding a "gravy train" for a long time. He was hired and promoted several times because of his family ties. No one with his limitations would ever be able to make the kind of money (any where else) that he makes at FAMU.
I know for a fact,Ralph is one of the dumbest individuals employed by FAMU. In addition, he has a very nasty attitude and performs very little work of substance.
While Humphries was President, he had his way (doing absolutely nothing except pretending to be important). After a regime change however, no one was around to cover for him and the new administrators quickly determined he was totally incompetent.
I'm sorry he lost his job, but I'm sure it will be easy for him to find a job where he walks around all day, wearing orange & green, holding a clip board, LOOKING LIKE HE'S IMPORTANT.
Signed Not trying to hate - just telling the truth
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University will provide the citizens of Florida, the nation, and the world with inspirational teaching, relevant research, and meaningful service by offering opportunities to enhance humankind. MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), as an 1890 land-grant institution, is to provide an enlightened and enriched academic, intellectual, moral, cultural, ethical, technological and student-centered environment, conducive to the development of highly qualified individuals who are prepared and capable of serving as leaders and contributors in our ever-evolving society. The University seeks and supports a faculty and staff of distinction dedicated to providing outstanding academic preparation at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional school levels, with a particular emphasis on integrity and ethical conduct. FAMU is committed to inspirational teaching, exemplary research and meaningful public and community service through creative partnerships at the local, state, national and global levels. The University is also committed to the resolution of complex issues that will enhance humankind. While the University continues its historic mission of educating African Americans, persons of all races, ethnic origins and nationalities are welcomed and encouraged to remain life-long members of the university community. The University, through its diverse faculty and staff, provides a caring, nurturing, collegial and respectful environment. CORE VALUES
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University holds the following values essential to the achievement of the University�s mission:
This was posted on the Rattler's Den today from the Capital Outlook's editor:
******************
RattlerNation is seldom, if ever, wrong, but the university is strongly denying that anything close to 29 employees are losing their jobs. Of course, the Capital Outlook is trying to get to the bottom of it. But LaNedra Carroll said fewer than 10 people were involved and that they were told last November of the new policy.
There's much more to this, so stay tuned.
Roosevelt Wilson
P.S.: Kudos to RattlerNation and good luck with your nomination. We're pulling for you. I thought I had great sources all over campus, but RattlerNation is right on point ... and causing several people to get fired as suspected leakers.
*******************
Everything is coming together. The opposition to "Bull Connor" Bryant's ruthless, inhumane practices are becoming the new Civil Rights Movement in Tallahassee. RN has converted doubters into allies.
The one-two punch of RN and the Capital Outlook is going to put crater size holes into the Bryant regime. However, we all need to get into gear. Please write letters to newspapers, post on the Tallahassee Democrat message board, call trustees, and email Jeb.
We need to build up support to force the FAMU BOT to impose a hiring/firing/academic restructuring moratorium on Bryant at the NEXT MEETING! If we don't accomplish this, our accreditation, presidential search, and financial stability will continue to slip away from us.
If my memory serves me correctly, didn't Dr. June present thtis plan to have housing folks move on campus at the last BOT meeting? I do recall hearing him present this proposal.
So this last November b.s that the University is telling Mr. Wilson is a flat out lie.
i've also heard that there are a shitload of lawsuits currently underway at famu. some are new, some are old, but a deluge of them nevertheless. get ready for a whole lot more. famu is falling apart at every seam and crack. CVB & Co need to haul ass (and with quickness)! The woman done lost her damn mind. i though it couldn't get any worse when fredG. was there, but damn, how was I was.This is the worst of the worst, and the worse it's ever been, and I've been there close to ten years.
this is what happens when a bee hive is shaken. sorry, but the honey needs to stop flowin for these queen bees who have tasted this sweet success($$$) for decades.
was this mr. coleman one of the residence directors(RD) living off campus? if so, he and any other (RD) should have been terminated. it is utterly asinine for an (RD) to live off campus. resident assistants(RA) manages one or more floors whereas (RD) manages a building ON CAMPUS. shake the hive
3 decades? don't you think it was about time for some new blood? none of us these days are promised our jobs when we walk into our office each day. i don't care if you've been there 3 years or 30 years. it is the day of productivity, flexibility, and accountability not retention for longevity. and the famu community is not immune to these managerial styles.shake the hive
yes, i empathize with anyone who loses their job, however if anyone from the director to the cleaning staff is not doing their job and serving the PRIMARY CUSTOMER with safe, clean, affordable and state of art living facilities its time for them to go. we are losing site of the primary customer here: not mr. coleman but the STUDENT.shake the hive
these students have lived in deplorable conditions for too many years while on the watch of mr. coleman, humphries, gainous, et. al..., if it takes a little house cleaning (no pun intended) to serve the student better...so be it. the question should be asked "is the student being better served?" from the thorough and customer driven attention shown by those new RDs and housing staff during move-in i witnessed this past weekend...i'd say...continue to shake the hive and release a swarm of agitated worker bees in every comb(department) on the highest of seven hills until every queen bee that is not customer focused is displaced. then and only then will these new drones taste the sweet honey of this hive(famu).
When Castell has finished, there will be no students at FAMU. I am a graduate and I would not send my child into this environment. Castell does not have clue to what going on around her. As long as Delmas Barber is on the payroll at FAMU, we know she does not have a clue. Delmas is not only dumb but a liar who deceived Dr. Gainous and put him out to dry. He is not only dumb but a crook. When we began to call names, we need to start at the top. Castell is dumb!!!!!!!!!!!
Delmas Barber was arrested several years ago on a drug charge. way before fred g. hired him. they are old neighborhood home boys, having grown up in tallahassee together, playing marbles and whatever. the tallahassee democrat ran an article about delmas being caught up in some kind of drug sting a long time ago. he needs to go. butr since castell has kept him on, she's apparently supports this kind of employee who does nothing but still, I am told, use illegal substances, and at the university, too. he makes a decent salry doing absolutely nothing. what's up with that? he's tired and broke down. talking about needing some new blood, delmas barber needs to vacate his office.
Many of you speak of deplorable conditions of the Dorms. It is not the employess, but the actual physical conditions of the dorm is disgusting. If we want to complain, tlets complain about the sad state of disrepair the dorms are in not who runs them.
Well I was wondering just how in the HELL Barbara Jones got such a position in the President's Office (PO) and why she has been there so long. I guess she will have her feet up and filing her fingernails in the General Counsel office now and saying "Can I Help You" like she did in the PO. The next one to leave out of 400 Lee Hall should be Ms. Washington with her NASTY and SO RUDE attitude.
The house of cards are falling! Yes, you're right - THE HOUSE OF CARDS sustained by all of the previous presidents & HUMPHRIES is included. FAMU was like a white washed tomb. Money, money and more money piled on top of centuries old garbage. Don't get all pollyannish about past presidents. They, too, contributed to the mess (or in the case of Humphries, tried to make it smell good). There are SBI grads with Harvard MBA's who are upset b/c SBI hasn't stepped it up to the 21st century. Folks up in Chicago can't move up in their jobs b/c SBI ain't accredited. Let's take off the shades and look into the light of truth. It's high time we negroes get it togetha. Good riddance to the house of cards! The St. Petersburg times article earlier this month:
"The rarely discussed incompetence caused by the tradition of cronyism and protectiveness that plagues the culture at many historically black colleges. Many of FAMU's current problems have their roots in past administrations, whose presidents and their appointees hired their friends and acquaintances of friends rather than hiring the best person for the jobs. To add insult to injury, many of those involved in this practice defend their incompetent hires or remain silent until irreparable harm has been done."
Who wants to maintain a university like that? The culture must be killed thoroughly from the roots. Cleaning up has never been easy.
>>>it is utterly asinine for an (RD) to live off campus. resident assistants(RA) manages one or more floors whereas (RD) manages a building ON CAMPUS. shake the hive<<<
It is not essential for an RD to live on campus. It is essential for dorms to be staffed 24/7 with people who truly care about the students. So what if the RDs work in shifts?
And furthermore, it is completely unprofessional and unfair to simply terminate employees because they will not drop everything and move onto campus to live in the dorms. FAMU had the option of reassigning these individuals, but it chose to simply fire them in a cold-blooded fashion. That's not "Excellence with Caring."
"The rarely discussed incompetence caused by the tradition of cronyism and protectiveness that plagues the culture at many historically black colleges. Many of FAMU's current problems have their roots in past administrations, whose presidents and their appointees hired their friends and acquaintances of friends rather than hiring the best person for the jobs. To add insult to injury, many of those involved in this practice defend their incompetent hires or remain silent until irreparable harm has been done."
That's right and Bryant exemplifies a CONTINUATION of the everything that's wrong with that culture.
-Bryant has hired incompentent friends and sorority sisters to major administrative positions (ex: Debra Austin, Eva Wanton, Vivian Hobbs, Altha Manning).
-Bryant worsened FAMU's financial condition (deplorable state audit, lying about a surplus, failing to properly record multi-millions in the books).
-Bryant has torn apart the productive, money-making Research Division. Grants are down by millions.
-Bryant destroyed the recruitment program. Enrollment is down.
-Bryant has illegally withheld public information (as proven through the judgement in Billy Joe's public records lawsuit).
-Bryant has shown gross deliquence in the SACS reaffirmation process (misrepresenting faculty credentialing standards, etc.)
-Bryant has denied employees due process (violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement for the SBI 10, failing to give Percy Luney the required campus hearing before his termination).
Bryant's tenure is sending FAMU backwards, not forward. She is mismanaging our finances, threatening our accreditation, carelessly breaking public records and employement laws, and forcing a enrollment and research slump.
In the words of the Temptations "and the beat goes on... ball of confusion" Don't mention the law school down in Orlando (failing to give Percy Luney the required campus hearing before his termination). That place is a ball of confusion! What ya know 'bout that?
This just in... Castell reassigns executive assistant (Mrs. Jones), and exiled her to the General Counsel's office.
Somebody please tell me, WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING?"
ReplyDeleteYour guess is just as good as mine....
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well all of that backstabbing has finally caught up.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's true and Ralph Coleman ain't in housing either.
ReplyDeleteWhere was Ralph Coleman reassigned?
ReplyDeleteHe was sent home!
ReplyDeleteThe elevator to the 4th floor has been cut off for weeks! You can't get up there unless security brings you up.
ReplyDeleteMy....My....My.........
ReplyDeleteI guess that just about does it with "Excellence with Caring"
I do not believe this. Ralph Coleman was not fired. He was an excellent, long-time employee. This can't be true.
ReplyDeleteCall him at home.
ReplyDeleteThe best presidential executive assistant in recent FAMU memory is Mrs. Sylvia Pettis. She was a class act: poised, professional, and personable. It's no wonder that strong presidents like Fred Humphries and Henry Lewis kept her.
ReplyDeleteIf Ralph Coleman has been sent home, then expect Rev. R.B. Holmes to come out swinging, again. Coleman is a longtime member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and is very close to his pastor. His wife teaches and Sunday School and there and they have children that they need to support, as well.
ReplyDeleteColeman has been working at FAMU very loyaly for almost three decades. While not perfect, he definitely deserves more humane and professional treatment than this.
Oh its true. I spoke to Ralph this afternoon at funeral at Bethel.
ReplyDeleteDang, dang, double dang!
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell is going on over there?
All I can say......."I wonder what's next?"
ReplyDeleteRalph deserves better than this. Undoubtedly, R.B. Holmes has already caught wind of this -- and it's going to be like a red flag has been waved in front of a bull.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how embarrassed Holmes must be now. He was part of Corbin's plot to rig the interim presidential selection in Bryant's favor. He welcomed Bryant back into the church and used to praise her performance from the pulpit.
Now, Bryant is threatening morale inside Holmes' congregation. Loyal Bethelites (SBI professors, staffers, etc.) are being sent to the unemployment line. The pastor who told all these men and women to trust Bryant now appears impotent to do anything to stop her.
Word is spreading that a growing group of Holmes' FAMU-employed congregants feel betrayed by him. Many have rightfully criticized him for dragging his feet on the presidential search process. Had Holmes done his job to get the search going in an expeditious manner, FAMU would already have a permanent president and the Bethelites facing unemployment would still have steady jobs at the university.
Holmes definitely cannot escape blame in this. He assisted Corbin's backdoor efforts to bring Bryant in, gave her unchecked power to tear FAMU apart, and deliberately slowed down the process to replace her.
The chickens are coming home to roost.
And the choir said....AMEN, preach, brother/sister, preach! Those chickens are definitely coming home to roost.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Deacons...lined the hymn, while the mothers shouted
ReplyDeleteThese actions of betrayal started back in 2005. It started with the five coaches; and then rest of the former employees in research services, housing, Billy Joe, the Institute, were all dismissed without cause. R.B. Holmes, Corbin, Lowe, and Castell will submit to a higher authority for all this and we will live to witness. We can only pray that FAMU will survive these atomic attacks. Ralph Coleman and the more recent ones to be fired can join the club of former FAMU employees wrongfully dismissed.
ReplyDeleteOk, I see yall like gossip.
ReplyDeleteRalph Coleman was one of the meanest, nastiest, laziest individuals that ever worked at FAMU. He was shiftless and did absolutely nothing.
ReplyDeleteI certainly do not agree with the way he has been released and sympathize with the affect this will have on his family, especially with his wife being a big time Delta and all.
He is not a very nice person. Along, with Col Joe and others in Student Affairs, he talked and gossiped about everyone on and off campus.
Now the shoe is on the other foot. Let's see what his pastor does to save him.
BTW, this is the second wave of Housing employees to be terminated. The first occurred last spring and I believe they are still on administrative leave while the union works their grievance out with the university.
The pastor who told all these men and women to trust Bryant now appears impotent to do anything to stop her?
ReplyDeleteRev. Holmes is one of the best teachers I have ever sat and listened to. He preaches and teaches TRUST GOD over everything else.
By the way, message board writers, why don't you all talk about other pastors in Tallahassee who have many FAMU employees that have been affected? Don't think I've ever seen these names mentioned: Walker, Rush, Simmons, Richardson, Proctor, Ledford, Williams, Green. What are the other preachers saying to their parishioners?
Just thought I would throw that out there.
My family's morale at Bethel has not been affected by Castell. And we are loyal to our God, our church family and our pastor! And our family has had people terminated unjustly from positions at the University. Our family follows Jesus, and not Castell or Pastor Holmes, which is what we should do, as well as you, the readers of this MB. If the Civil Rights movement, and all of the struggles we had at Bethel with the "world" as a whole didn't bring our morale down, surely no one in their right mind should think that Castell, or any other "Stell" will have a great affect on our lives. Hope all of you are serious praying people. HOLD YOUR HEADS UP IF YOUR MORALE IS DOWN! P U T A B I G S M I L E on your face. Start that business that you have been trying to start for the last 20 years. File a lawsuit against the University, if you feel that your civil rights have been violated!
ReplyDeleteOCR encourages students and parents, representatives of education institutions, and other OCR customers to use e-mail or fax to communicate with OCR, whenever possible. Also, complainants may file a complaint with OCR, online, at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintprocess.html.
DO YOU HAVE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT? Have your civil rights been stepped on (age, gender, disability, race, etc.)
If you feel that your rights are violated, and you are afraid to go out on your own, get others who have been violated to contact the Office of Civil Rights together. If you think Jeb has his auditor generals responding to their whistleblower complaints, just wait and see how OCR will have people jumping.
DON'T JUST COMPLAIN - FILE A COMPLAINT!
Castell, Vince June and none of those other administrators should have that much control over your lives! H O L D Y O U R H E A D S U P !
Just to help that last writer out - here's other contact information.
ReplyDeleteEmpower Yourselves!
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-1100
(202) 245-6800; 1-800-421-3481
FAX: (202) 245-6840; TDD: (877) 521-2172
E-mail: OCR@ed.gov
Web: http://www.ed.gov/ocr
And a message to Dr. June, Castell, et.al. from Dwight D. Eisenhower: You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership.
Hitting over head = messing with their heads = robbing them of the ability to take care of their families as the head of their homes.
Even deeper than the last writer's quote, "Power takes as ingratitude the writhing of its victims." (Rabindranath Tagore)
ReplyDeleteIf I need to explain that to anyone, let me know.
TO ALL: I agree with the past two messages. Don't let these people know that they had that much control over your lives. Tell your PASTORS, tell your church members, tell your loving family that you laughed and ate with at the annual family reunion this year, tell everyone - that you need a job. FAMU is NOT (and I repeat NOT) the only place to work in this world, or in this state, nor in this city. June is NOT Dennis, and Castell is NOT Katrina. They, and others like them, will destroy you if you don't have a solid foundation. GO FORWARD! DON'T LOOK BACK! REBUILD! (and contact OCR, if needed) Amen.
Conversion Experience,
ReplyDeleteI can only speak of Mr. Coleman's character as it it relates to me. I do know that whenever I called him to ask his help he made himself available. If he couldn't he would direct me in the right direction. I have sent many students to FAMU and have told them find Mr. coleman when they get on campus. And not once has Ralph Coleman turned those students away.
I graduated from FAMU in 1981 and have returned to the campus each year for Homecoming. I read this board and it is very seldom that I make a comment of any kind. But inspite of all the turmoil FAMU is going through at this time, I just refuse to throw stones and impeach anyone's character. Nor do I engage in or feed into gossip. I am not at FAMU on an everyday basis, and I have no earthly idea of the inner actions of the employees. And I really could care less. We all need to be focused on our beloved FAMU and not he say, she say. My concern will always be FAMU and me doing what I can to support the insitution and not an individual.
Certainly, I am at a loss for words when I see the direction that the university is taking. I do know from my years in corporate America that no one person is getter than the whole.
Through all this I have made a vow to become more active in my local alumni chapter, as for so long I have just been a dues paying member. I realize that I need to do more and become more active. Not just from a financial standpoint but from one that is vocal. I have always been taught that if you haven't tried to recify a situation, then you have no reason to criticize.
I don't understand why people are surprised. Castell said that she was going to reduce substantially the number of employees at our institution and she is doing exactly what she said that she would do. Just who did we expect to loose if it's not people we knew?
ReplyDeleteI really don't think poeple are surprised. It's just the way it is being done. There is a right way and a wrong way to do anything.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I hate to see anyone lose their job, Raplph has been riding a "gravy train" for a long time.
ReplyDeleteHe was hired and promoted several times because of his family ties. No one with his limitations would ever be able to make the kind of money (any where else) that he makes at FAMU.
I know for a fact,Ralph is one of the dumbest individuals employed by FAMU. In addition, he has a very nasty attitude and performs very little work of substance.
While Humphries was President, he had his way (doing absolutely nothing except pretending to be important). After a regime change however, no one was around to cover for him and the new administrators quickly determined he was totally incompetent.
I'm sorry he lost his job, but I'm sure it will be easy for him to find a job where he walks around all day, wearing orange & green, holding a clip board, LOOKING LIKE HE'S IMPORTANT.
Signed
Not trying to hate - just telling the truth
P.S. I got my "Hater Blockers" On
VISION STATEMENT
ReplyDeleteFlorida Agricultural and Mechanical University will provide the citizens of Florida, the nation, and the world with inspirational teaching, relevant research, and meaningful service by offering opportunities to enhance humankind.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), as an 1890 land-grant institution, is to provide an enlightened and enriched academic, intellectual, moral, cultural, ethical, technological and student-centered environment, conducive to the development of highly qualified individuals who are prepared and capable of serving as leaders and contributors in our ever-evolving society. The University seeks and supports a faculty and staff of distinction dedicated to providing outstanding academic preparation at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional school levels, with a particular emphasis on integrity and ethical conduct. FAMU is committed to inspirational teaching, exemplary research and meaningful public and community service through creative partnerships at the local, state, national and global levels. The University is also committed to the resolution of complex issues that will enhance humankind. While the University continues its historic mission of educating African Americans, persons of all races, ethnic origins and nationalities are welcomed and encouraged to remain life-long members of the university community. The University, through its diverse faculty and staff, provides a caring, nurturing, collegial and respectful environment.
CORE VALUES
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University holds the following values essential to the achievement of the University�s mission:
* Scholarship
* Excellence
* Openness
* Fiscal Responsibility
* Accountability
* Collaboration
* Diversity
* Service
* Fairness
* Courage
* Integrity/Ethics
* Respect
* Collegiality
* Freedom
This was posted on the Rattler's Den today from the Capital Outlook's editor:
ReplyDelete******************
RattlerNation is seldom, if ever, wrong, but the university is strongly denying that anything close to 29 employees are losing their jobs. Of course, the Capital Outlook is trying to get to the bottom of it. But LaNedra Carroll said fewer than 10 people were involved and that they were told last November of the new policy.
There's much more to this, so stay tuned.
Roosevelt Wilson
P.S.: Kudos to RattlerNation and good luck with your nomination. We're pulling for you. I thought I had great sources all over campus, but RattlerNation is right on point ... and causing several people to get fired as suspected leakers.
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Everything is coming together. The opposition to "Bull Connor" Bryant's ruthless, inhumane practices are becoming the new Civil Rights Movement in Tallahassee. RN has converted doubters into allies.
The one-two punch of RN and the Capital Outlook is going to put crater size holes into the Bryant regime. However, we all need to get into gear. Please write letters to newspapers, post on the Tallahassee Democrat message board, call trustees, and email Jeb.
We need to build up support to force the FAMU BOT to impose a hiring/firing/academic restructuring moratorium on Bryant at the NEXT MEETING! If we don't accomplish this, our accreditation, presidential search, and financial stability will continue to slip away from us.
If my memory serves me correctly, didn't Dr. June present thtis plan to have housing folks move on campus at the last BOT meeting? I do recall hearing him present this proposal.
ReplyDeleteSo this last November b.s that the University is telling Mr. Wilson is a flat out lie.
i've also heard that there are a shitload of lawsuits currently underway at famu. some are new, some are old, but a deluge of them nevertheless. get ready for a whole lot more. famu is falling apart at every seam and crack. CVB & Co need to haul ass (and with quickness)! The woman done lost her damn mind. i though it couldn't get any worse when fredG. was there, but damn, how was I was.This is the worst of the worst, and the worse it's ever been, and I've been there close to ten years.
ReplyDeletethis is what happens when a bee hive is shaken. sorry, but the honey needs to stop flowin for these queen bees who have tasted this sweet success($$$) for decades.
ReplyDeletewas this mr. coleman one of the residence directors(RD) living off campus? if so, he and any other (RD) should have been terminated. it is utterly asinine for an (RD) to live off campus. resident assistants(RA) manages one or more floors whereas (RD) manages a building ON CAMPUS. shake the hive
3 decades? don't you think it was about time for some new blood? none of us these days are promised our jobs when we walk into our office each day. i don't care if you've been there 3 years or 30 years. it is the day of productivity, flexibility, and accountability not retention for longevity. and the famu community is not immune to these managerial styles.shake the hive
yes, i empathize with anyone who loses their job, however if anyone from the director to the cleaning staff is not doing their job and serving the PRIMARY CUSTOMER with safe, clean, affordable and state of art living facilities its time for them to go. we are losing site of the primary customer here: not mr. coleman but the STUDENT.shake the hive
these students have lived in deplorable conditions for too many years while on the watch of mr. coleman, humphries, gainous, et. al..., if it takes a little house cleaning (no pun intended) to serve the student better...so be it. the question should be asked "is the student being better served?" from the thorough and customer driven attention shown by those new RDs and housing staff during move-in i witnessed this past weekend...i'd say...continue to shake the hive and release a swarm of agitated worker bees in every comb(department) on the highest of seven hills until every queen bee that is not customer focused is displaced. then and only then will these new drones taste the sweet honey of this hive(famu).
FAMU ALUM...94'
When Castell has finished, there will be no students at FAMU. I am a graduate and I would not send my child into this environment. Castell does not have clue to what going on around her. As long as Delmas Barber is on the payroll at FAMU, we know she does not have a clue. Delmas is not only dumb but a liar who deceived Dr. Gainous and put him out to dry. He is not only dumb but a crook. When we began to call names, we need to start at the top. Castell is dumb!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDelmas Barber was arrested several years ago on a drug charge. way before fred g. hired him. they are old neighborhood home boys, having grown up in tallahassee together, playing marbles and whatever. the tallahassee democrat ran an article about delmas being caught up in some kind of drug sting a long time ago. he needs to go. butr since castell has kept him on, she's apparently supports this kind of employee who does nothing but still, I am told, use illegal substances, and at the university, too. he makes a decent salry doing absolutely nothing. what's up with that? he's tired and broke down. talking about needing some new blood, delmas barber needs to vacate his office.
ReplyDeleteMany of you speak of deplorable conditions of the Dorms. It is not the employess, but the actual physical conditions of the dorm is disgusting.
ReplyDeleteIf we want to complain, tlets complain about the sad state of disrepair the dorms are in not who runs them.
In short fix the dorms Castell.
Well I was wondering just how in the HELL Barbara Jones got such a position in the President's Office (PO) and why she has been there so long. I guess she will have her feet up and filing her fingernails in the General Counsel office now and saying "Can I Help You" like she did in the PO. The next one to leave out of 400 Lee Hall should be Ms. Washington with her NASTY and SO RUDE attitude.
ReplyDeletethe house of cards is falling down
ReplyDeleteThe house of cards are falling! Yes, you're right - THE HOUSE OF CARDS sustained by all of the previous presidents & HUMPHRIES is included. FAMU was like a white washed tomb. Money, money and more money piled on top of centuries old garbage. Don't get all pollyannish about past presidents. They, too, contributed to the mess (or in the case of Humphries, tried to make it smell good). There are SBI grads with Harvard MBA's who are upset b/c SBI hasn't stepped it up to the 21st century. Folks up in Chicago can't move up in their jobs b/c SBI ain't accredited. Let's take off the shades and look into the light of truth. It's high time we negroes get it togetha. Good riddance to the house of cards! The St. Petersburg times article earlier this month:
ReplyDelete"The rarely discussed incompetence caused by the tradition of cronyism and protectiveness that plagues the culture at many historically black colleges. Many of FAMU's current problems have their roots in past administrations, whose presidents and their appointees hired their friends and acquaintances of friends rather than hiring the best person for the jobs. To add insult to injury, many of those involved in this practice defend their incompetent hires or remain silent until irreparable harm has been done."
Who wants to maintain a university like that? The culture must be killed thoroughly from the roots. Cleaning up has never been easy.
I found this on a blog. Enjoy.
ReplyDelete· Procrastination is like a credit card: it’s a lot of fun until you get the bill.
· If you can’t excel with talent, triumph with effort.
· People seldom become famous for what they say until after they are famous for what they did.
· We can never hide the truth about ourselves from ourselves.
· It’s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.
· A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.
· It’s always helpful to learn for your mistakes because then your mistakes seem worthwhile.
· It’s a wise person that knows the difference between free speech and cheap thought.
· The people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials, but the ones with the concern.
· Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts.
OK, let's talk about the elevator to the 4th floor being cut off? Is she that scared of the public?
ReplyDelete>>>it is utterly asinine for an (RD) to live off campus. resident assistants(RA) manages one or more floors whereas (RD) manages a building ON CAMPUS. shake the hive<<<
ReplyDeleteIt is not essential for an RD to live on campus. It is essential for dorms to be staffed 24/7 with people who truly care about the students. So what if the RDs work in shifts?
And furthermore, it is completely unprofessional and unfair to simply terminate employees because they will not drop everything and move onto campus to live in the dorms. FAMU had the option of reassigning these individuals, but it chose to simply fire them in a cold-blooded fashion. That's not "Excellence with Caring."
"The rarely discussed incompetence caused by the tradition of cronyism and protectiveness that plagues the culture at many historically black colleges. Many of FAMU's current problems have their roots in past administrations, whose presidents and their appointees hired their friends and acquaintances of friends rather than hiring the best person for the jobs. To add insult to injury, many of those involved in this practice defend their incompetent hires or remain silent until irreparable harm has been done."
ReplyDeleteThat's right and Bryant exemplifies a CONTINUATION of the everything that's wrong with that culture.
-Bryant has hired incompentent friends and sorority sisters to major administrative positions (ex: Debra Austin, Eva Wanton, Vivian Hobbs, Altha Manning).
-Bryant worsened FAMU's financial condition (deplorable state audit, lying about a surplus, failing to properly record multi-millions in the books).
-Bryant has torn apart the productive, money-making Research Division. Grants are down by millions.
-Bryant destroyed the recruitment program. Enrollment is down.
-Bryant has illegally withheld public information (as proven through the judgement in Billy Joe's public records lawsuit).
-Bryant has shown gross deliquence in the SACS reaffirmation process (misrepresenting faculty credentialing standards, etc.)
-Bryant has denied employees due process (violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement for the SBI 10, failing to give Percy Luney the required campus hearing before his termination).
Bryant's tenure is sending FAMU backwards, not forward. She is mismanaging our finances, threatening our accreditation, carelessly breaking public records and employement laws, and forcing a enrollment and research slump.
conversion experience:
ReplyDeleteIn the words of the Temptations "and the beat goes on... ball of confusion" Don't mention the law school down in Orlando (failing to give Percy Luney the required campus hearing before his termination). That place is a ball of confusion! What ya know 'bout that?
In my opinion, Ms. Jones should be exiled not to the 3rd floor but to the basement. Better yet, kicked to the curb.
ReplyDeleteDang, why so much hate for Ms. Barbara Jones? You thank TW in the executive chair?
ReplyDeleteThe elevator to the fourth floor has NOT BEEN LOCKED. I have gone to the President's office numerous time with not trouble...
ReplyDeletePlease, go tell that to someone who believes that shat.
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