Former FAMU president Frederick S. Humphries, the Orlando Sentinel’s 1997 Floridian of the Year, a tireless adovcate for the success of African American students and historically Black colleges and universities. A giant among men, both mentally and physically, Humphries has been active in countless scholastic committees —including White House Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the American Council on Education, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges—and served a combined 27 years as president of Tennessee State University and FAMU. He also served on the Corporate Boards of Wal-Mart Corp, Brinker International, the Tom Joyner Foundation, and the Academy for Educational Development.
Well, we told you last week that THE MAN himself was in town. Eddie Jackson, former Vice Preisdent for University Relations, wrote a nice piece for the Capital Outlook on Mr. Humprhries return to Tallahassee to address Leadership Tallahassee. You can read it here:
Humphries returns to town
Fred Humphries was a great presdient when he was at FAMU. One cannot help but make comparisons between him and the president interim president. There is NO WAY that Fred would have (mis)treated employess the way CVB has. There is NO WAY he would have been so demeaning to so many people. Fred was/is a people person, and in this regard he has/had a great relationship with the faculty, staff and students. Of course, there were problems when he was at the helm, but under Fred's leadership the university grew tremendously, student recruitment was a top priority, faculty hiring and salaries were a part of his administrative agenda, and the university enjoyed its days in the sun, locally, statewide, nationally and globally. While there were, perhaps, some financial missteps along the way, faculty and staff were not greatly affected in the manner in which Castell Bryant has behaved and mistreated people. Every institution of higher learning these days, especially any HBCU, is under the radar, but Fred was always a fighter for the university, and EVERYONE got the sense that he loved FAMU. While he may have done some things that may have not been in the best interest of the university financially, no one can doubt that he had a love affair with Florida A&M University. And when you love someone/something, you don't purposely hurt them, treat them with some condescension and hatred. Loved showed in most everything Fred did, while on the other hand, hatred shows in everything Castell Vaughn Bryant does, except, of course, in cases where one kisses her ass and/or kisses up to her to get to the ass.
ReplyDeleteI remember when Dr. Humphries made the decision to leave FAMU the FIRST time, there was a petition circulated from faculty, staff and students for him to stay on a little bit longer. Such a move will NEVER be forthcoming from FS&S for CastHell Bryant to stay on. On the contrary, if she doesn't leave soon, there may be one for her to get the F out of town. I'll be the first one to sign the mfer.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember the "other" Fred? Gainous, that is. What's that mfer up to these days? His tenure was so short until he didn't even have an official installation ceremony when he came.
ReplyDeleteWe are talking about Fred Humphries and let's keep our focus on FSH. He did great things for FAMU and left FAMU in a "Position of Power" to go to the next level in higher education. What I want to know is when will we began to circulate the "Out With Castell Petition". I have many of people in the ATL and Tally ready to get that movement on the road. We are just waiting on the Faculty and staff to launch the Petition. They are in-house and know first-hand what need to go on the petition.
ReplyDeleteDr. Humphries, while not perfect, was the catalyst, along with Dr.Sybil, for the rise in enrollment and popularity of our beloved FAMU. That's not to say he could have taken better care and watch over Financial Aid and other departments.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there will be any such petition forthcoming to cast out Castell. For a number of reasons: she's done a bunch of damage, but wil soon be on the way out, hopefully in five months when the new president will be on board; there are a numbr of faculty members who are in fear of their jobs and, while they agree that she needs to go, they will not risk their jobs by starting and/or signing a petition; the BOT will not acknowledge any such peittion no matter whose name is on it and the peition will not make any difference, because the board of trustees has already made the decision in terms of the deadline for finding a new president, and on & on & on. Castell is so damn mean and hatelful until she would probably stop at nothing to fire anyone she thought had signed to get rid of her. So I think the best that any of us can do is wait and hope and keep our fingers crossed that someone with integrity is even willing to come to FAMU after all the damage she's done, reputation-wise, to the university.
ReplyDeleteDr. Fred Humphries: a R E A L Rattler!
ReplyDeleteAt the classic, everyone who could was trying to get up to the boxed seats, VIP area to catch Dr. Fred Humphries. I wonder how many FAMUans were actually trying to find Castell Bryant...
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