William E. Hudson, FAMU’s director of retention, is the new interim vice-president of student affairs. He succeeds Roland Gaines, who recently retired.Hudson is also chairing the search committee to find a new permanent vice-president for student affairs.
Before coming to FAMU, Hudson was the associate director of the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement (CARE) at Florida State University.
Hudson has extensive experience counseling students with academic, personal, and career issues. He is a specialist in the recruitment and retention of minority students and provides consulting to small colleges and universities. As an adjunct professor at FAMU, he educates students on rehabilitation, disability, vocational training and services, community transition, and empowerment.
He is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (C.R.C.), and a member of the American College Counseling Association, National Association of Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and Florida Association Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (FAEOP), among other professional organizations.
Hudson is a native Floridian and FAMU graduate. He received his B.S. degree in psychology and master’s degree in counseling education from FAMU. He went on to earn a specialist degree in counseling and human services and a Ph.D. in rehabilitation counseling from Florida State University.
I'm proud of William. He's a good person who definitely puts the interest of students and the university before his own. He's young and will one day get a chance to serve as the VP at FAMU or some other university in the future.
ReplyDeleteWOW! I couldn't believe this when I heard. Hudson wasn't lying when he left FSU and said he was going to be 2nd in charge at FAMU! I guess FAMU. Good luck Rattlers, I can tell you that his arrogance, and ignorance will reveal itself and I hope that his Alpha - ance won't be enough to keep in the seat once this happens.
ReplyDeletewhat do you mean 2nd in charge....
ReplyDeleteDr. Ammons is second in charge or maybe even 3rd or 4th
Hudson will be okay. He has less TCC transfers to work with than he had at FSU, talk about ignorance.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, he may have to assert himself a little to bring about some changes. As a young alum, he's probably having to deal with the established groups and a way of thinking that may be counterproductive.
ReplyDeleteAnother FAMU legacy....
ReplyDelete9:56 PM,
ReplyDeleteWho or what is? Please elaborate.
yep. same one. plus interim charge of search for permanent replacement? what kind of sh__ is that? what is ammons trying to pull?
ReplyDeleteman has no student affairs other than talking to, excuse me, counseling students bout retention.
ReplyDeleteword among staffers is that ammons wants to drag the vp search till late, late fall until hudson get a little experience and then back door him in the slot. again looking out for his frat bro over more experienced candidates. same old stuff. not much different than castell. hoprfdully BOT will call his hand on when pos will be filled.
ReplyDeleteman,word from Lee Hall is that prez is planning on dragging search for new vp, then claim than none of the 80 plus candidates were suitable. mind you these are same candidates that will screened by his boy, the chair, hudson. then open process again and let his boy, hudson apply at which time he will have gained a little student affairs exp. perfect setup. Same trick he pulled at North Carolina Central with his other friend who bcame student affairs head. watch and see. its a setup. another set back for all d people in student affairs who thought better of d prez and the NC circle.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting development. I now have a better understanding of why so many community members, alumni, and others question Dr. Ammons' judgement and leadership.
ReplyDeleteHudson is a likeable guy, however he hasn't been around long maybe one year and a half and he is the best person to fill this position. What does that say about the caliber of the other staff at FAMU?
It was my understanding that he was coming to FAMU to work on retention which is what he did in his previous job (however if you were to ask them they would say he simply warmed a chair), so now he is 2nd in charge, Director of Retention, Director of Honors Program, Director of Testing, Chairing the search committee for a position that he will get appointed to, all in less than 2 years?!!!! What has he done to demonstrate a level of competence and success to merit such??
Maybe the positive outcome will be that he copies FSU and hires smart and adequately credentialed student affairs personnel to create a renowned student affairs program at FAMU - for the sake of the students who will pay money to attend, I certainly hope this is the case.
Glad he's FAMU problem now and no longer our embarassment.
ReplyDeleteI hope that Dr. Ammons will not make this mistake and make this or the AD setup permanent. He got away with it with Robert Seniors but it won't keep happening.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a R. Holmes setup kind of deal again and the chips will fall.
While I think it's perfectly ok and better yet a indicator of a great leader to identify young potential and help to groom and nurture them for leadership, however is should be only open to those in your frat or personal circles and it should occur in stages in a timeframe in which the understudy can build a record of success.
Ammons is quickly losing supporters old and young with this type of dealings.
just bout everyone in student affairs were left in shock when the prez dropped this bombshell. no student affairs experience, yet he placed someone with not an ounce of student affairs exp at the helm. some coordinators in student affairs have more experience than hudson. Its a joke. Would he dare treat other divisions, such as academics,in such a disrespectful,i don't give a bdamn manner. No, no,no.
ReplyDeleteYou lunatics need to speak for yourselves when it comes to Dr. Ammons. I wholeheartedly support Dr. Ammons. Let me tell you why. Since Dr. Ammons has been president:
ReplyDelete1. FAMU IS NO LONGER on probation
2. The Law School IS FULLY ACCREDITED.
3. Pharmacy Program IS FULLY ACCREDITED
4. FAMU is opening a new Pharmacy Program in Crestview.
5. Coach Joe Taylor
6. Coach Ladawn Gibson
7. FAMU maintains financial control of the FAMU/FSU Engineering Program
8. Tucker Hall in undergoing renovation
9. Jones Hall is undergoing renovation
10. ESPN GAME DAY broadcast live from FAMU
11. The students like him
12. He doesn't do exactly what you incompetent complainers and whiners want him to do.
Leave Dr. Ammons the f#$k alone. If it wasn't for him, half you MFs would be standing on the corner of Tenn. Street & Monroe holding up a sign, "Will Shine Your Shoes For A Can of Sardines".
I SUPPORT DR. AMMONS & HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM!!
Obviously Dr. Ammons doesn't have a lot of confidence in "just bout everyone in Student Affairs". You MFs won't be satisfied until you have rednecks snooping around our campus because of your stupidity.
ReplyDeleteDr. Ammons is FAMU's president, for crying out loud. Let him lead and YOU get the f#$k out of the way.
and for the ammons supporter... we know you probably got your head stuck half way or ALL the way up ammons a--. get real and see what's going on. by the way, go fu-- urself.
ReplyDeletecan someone please tell me what specific, verifiable and documented student affairs experience Hudson has? that's all i want to know.
ReplyDeleteIf you check out the stories at the end of the this article you'll find a section entitled, "You might like these:" which includes a link to a stories form almost exactly 2 years ago when the exact same thing happened - Ammons held out an open position and appointed Ed Willis, husband of VP of University Relations, Carla Willis.
ReplyDeleteMost of the post where from those who were outraged, disappointed and dismayed. Yet NOTHING became of the the chatter! The proof is in the comments from this blog and the apparent continuos pattern of "take it like I serve it" rule from the leadership.
Here is what I'm going to do to take action agianst this show of indiffenrence toward the FAMU community and dominance rule opposed to following the policies and making the BEST decision for FAMU:
- Will not renew either of the 4 FAMU tags that currently occupy our 4 vehicles. I will also make sure my mother, sister and brother don't renew for their vehicles either
- Will not purchase nor attend football, basketball, Essential Theatre, Lyceum or other paid FAMU events
- Make a phone call to the one person I know at the State Higher Ed committee to express my concerns
What will you do?
7:41 PM,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you mean business. Do you plan to express your concerns to your local alumni chapter, or maybe to the president himself (at least his office), or the BOT? Your actions (or intentions) would definitely get someone's attention. The administation or BOT should know of your complaints and your intentions, by the way, not as an anonymous objector.
In fact, others of you who are complaining about the current administration should start a petition or some type of public acknowledgment of your concerns to let him/them know just how displeased you are with this and other decisions he's making. I understand some people have some serious issues with the school, many of them very legitimate issues. Thus, I can respect those of you who decide to take action by first informing the University of your malcontent.
Empty rhetoric will get you know where. It's time those of you who claim to love the University and aren't pleased with the direction start taking action.
By the way, I've always been dishearted with some of the decisions past and current administrations have made. However, I will continue to support the University with my tag renewals, my lifetime alumni dues renewal, my booster membership renewal, and my continued financial support of relevatives who choose to attend FAMU. Despite these continued suspect decisions, I know much of my success is as a result of my education and experience on the Hill.
WOW,appoint an interim vp to chair the committee for permanent vp. thats a no brainer or conflict as best I can see. Dorothy and toto must really live in Kansas. This is strange but not surprise given past setups.
ReplyDeleteWell settle down everybody and let's see what our President is really up to. I mean--he's a smart fellow (Ammons)--and I am sure that there is something he see's in Hudson that he feels can be used to correct some issues in Student Affairs in the short term.
ReplyDeleteNow as far as having Dr. Hudson apply for the permanent Vice Presidency? I have to be reasonable and acknowledge that his lack of credible Student Affairs and Student Development experience puts him at a disadvantage.
You know what I wish? I wish FAMU could get someone Nationally known in Student Development circles who is published, respected, and on the cutting edge in what it takes to develop character and winning attitude within a student population. Someone who's vision is a perfect compliment to the Academic mission, so that -when combined with outstanding classroom experiences- the student leaves here totally prepared academically, socially, and professionaly. Ready to STRIKE and do their part intelligently and compassionately. (Student Affairs plus Academic Affairs working together to produce an unstoppable RATTLER)
what student affairs needs is a proven student affairs administrator, not an academician with no sense of what the student affairs genre is all about. lets be honest, many student affairs administrators and staffers, especially at FAM, have credentials that are the envy of the academicians and student affairs professionals at other universities. we know a setup when we see one. and this is one. don't be fooled by such rhetoric. there has never been a rift between between the two divisions that need to be mended. just a smoke screen to cover the setup with hudson. get real
ReplyDeleteNo I did not mean to imply there is a riff. But I will assert and assert rather strongly that there is a void or vacuum in Student Development on FAMU's campus. I do not think FAM has the same high level of standard, nor service, nor vision on the Student Development Side (with the exception of a couple of depts in SA) as it has in it's Academic and Research areas. I am saying that what a student experiences on the hill in the way of instruction and reserch opportunities SHOULD BE MATCHED with an equally stringent and purposeful level of programming in their Residential, Career Center, Student Activities, other experiences in Student Affairs. In other words...I feel it's time to apply a high set of standards to our students in something other than just their academic curriculum. Can't you see that if we raise the bar in Student Affairs, we'll increase Retention (do you get the logic behind Hudson now?). Long term-however we need a Student Affairs Visionary who can help Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University channel her values, her qualities, her heart into these students so that they become caring, purposeful, and intrinsically motivated alumni who are unmatched by any HBCU in how they care for this their Alma Mater. So no, there is no riff, but there IS a void. In other words "It's time out for T-Pain, FLO-RIDA, Ignant Rapper of Week, Lil' Wayne and Lil' whoever, and time in for thought provoking and challenging Student Development initiatives that will bring out the very best in these students before they leave THE HILL" !!
ReplyDeleteWhere's the conspiracy? Hudson is chairing the committee that is searching for the next VPSA. There's no way he can apply for the job. If he does, then definitely there's something to complain about. He's an interim VP at the moment. We need to calm down a little.
ReplyDeleteWe shouldn't calm down a bit when Ammons basically gave his recipe for putting Hudson in the permanent position by telling the story of how he set up Roland Gaines.
ReplyDeleteHudson hasn't proven his ability in anything YET so and he's been at the university less than 2 years, and he is the only person at the university qualified to hold a temporary seat? Why is Ammons stringing out the search and holding up hiring for 6 months when the close date on the position has expired and the search committee already underway? It doesn't take that long unless you have something up your sleeve. Take for example how quickly, after the search ended, applicants evlauated, candidates identified for interviews and a premanent PRESIDENT was determined across the street? The entire process did not take 6 months. FAMU is already more that 50% done by having advertised, collected applications, and evaluated applicants on the VPSA search, why should it take another 6 months to find a permanent candidate? Come on, we're all smarter than that.
I really hope that those of you who have faith in the process are right and that it will take place in a fair, transparent, and equitable manner.
7:43 PM,
ReplyDeleteYou raise some valid questions about the integrity of the search for the VP; however, keep in mind that many legitimate factors contribute to delays in executive job searches at the college level. Also, just an FYI, FSU's presidential search was conducted by a professional search firm.
I am truly amazed at the chatter produced by a mere appointment. It is obvious that the president appointed someone he has confidence in. Some one he feels can maintain the division and problem solve on a limited basis. Although Hudson has been at FAMU only a short time, he has been able to make some progress in the retention and progression of students. He has worked on numerous issues assigned to him by the Provost and the President and has resolved them. These are only a few of the reasons for the president's selection. What he see in Hudson is a spirit, a desire to work with students to resolve issues. Hey, isn't that what Student Affairs is also about. It is so obvious that most of you do not know Dr. Hudson, or could jealously and envy be rearing it's ugly head. Give Hudson and most importantly, Dr. Ammons the opportunity to do their jobs without arm chair quarterbacks second quessing them.
ReplyDeleteSecond in command? Eveybody knows that Fuse-Hall is second in command. Hughes Harris gets no respect.
ReplyDeleteFAMU BS, MS FSU PhD fruit does not fall far from the tree. How does this count as vast, cumulative experience this guy has never left Tallahassee. This reads like the CV of most of the administrative staff.
ReplyDeleteit is taking so long to complete the search because what ammons was trying to do, undercover, was and perhaps still is to place his inexperienced frat bro, whom he decsribes as someone he see himself in, as the interim position as well as chair of committee and then trying to fool the entire university and BOT that he could not find ONE person out of 60 or 80 applicants worthy of being vp. then he opens up process like he did in North Carolina and places his friend, hudson in this instance, who by then would have gained just a wee bit,but still insufficient, exp. Wake up...the youngest and newest director or coordinator in student affairs has way more more student affairs exp than hudson. Open your eyes its a setup and ammons is trying to hoodwink the BOT, the university, the employees in student affairs and the students. The best thing to do is call or email members of BOT to make sure this search is done fairly, quickly and openly. But how can it be done fairly and openly if your chair and interim, hudson, is suppose to be secretly setup to be vp. the secret is out. this is some crazy, crazy sh--. if we did not know better, sounds like some sh--castell would pull. crazy, crazy sh--.
ReplyDeleteI am unaware of Dr. Amons being a member of a greek orgnanization. Did you get your facts from former President George Bush?
ReplyDeletenot aware anyone mentioned greeks in any comments. could itr be a "faternity of deceivers and connivers" that the writer was referring to. oh, you should not assume, nor should i.
ReplyDeleteI have been taking calls all week long about this appointment from colleagues across the street where this young man use to work. They find this action comical and a validation of why FSU gets more academically prepared African American students than the legendary FAMU. It's obvious that FAMU is not serious about educating students or providing a collegiate experience to "fondly" remember when you choose this caliber personnel for such leadership positions. If you listen to Hudson he's the only person on campus capable of anything and that's more than scary! If your President was serious he would be chosing leaders smarter, more prepared, and more commited than himself. Not those whom are only capable of following orders and not providing vision and practical experience in seeing a vision thru to reality.
ReplyDeleteDR. AMMONS, I thought you were better than this!
Reasons why not to have the interim chairing the search committee for a permanent vp. If it is true that ammons is trying to backdoor hudson in, then what candidate can come in and be interviewed by the committee and recommend any changes to policies or actions put in place by hudson, the interim. would the candidate tell hudson, the committee chair, that decisions or actions hudson, the interim vp, were stupid or nonsensical. Come on. hudson as chair can have considerable influence over the committee. Further, how can he be impartial if a candidates does indeed questions some of his practices as interim vp. further would any of the two assoc vps be willing to tell their interim boss that his decisions or directions for student affairs are doubtful. Do you see how stupid it is to have the interim as chair of the search committee. the previous writer was correct in that this whole thing stink like a skunk and looks like a setup. I am a supporter of Ammons but I am beginning to question this studpid move on his part.
ReplyDeleteHere's the clincher. It was only a few months ago when FAMU was reaccredited that it had to document that all of its faculty, staff and administrators had the correct and proper credentials for the positions they held or taught. The university had to either move or remove several people from positions they held in order to avoid a bad finding by SACS. Now, a few months later we have returned to the practice of placing an individual with no credentials in student affairs in the top slot as interim vp for student affairs. Is this a violation of any of the SACS standards or what? Lets hope and pray it isn't. But I am sure some enterprising person will find out. Dr. Ammons this is your doing. FSU did not want hudson now you have placed him in a position that is probably against SACS standards. Now you see why we in the faculty don't trust you or anyone in your NC inner circle making the right calls on faculty issues.
ReplyDeleteThe FSU people are right. Its a joke and the joke is on FAMU. The earlier writer may have something on whether hudson would have met or currently meet the SACS standards for having the proper credentials for the student affairs vp interim position. I seriously doubt he would even come close to the standards. I feel for all those student affairs professionals who must see this as an real insult. Its like spitting in their faces and knocking their teeth out. Ammons should be ashame of himself. I thought better of him but he is disappointing us with these friendship appointments.
ReplyDeleteFolks, what do you expect. No one on the current leadership team had to go through a search committee process. Maybe that vp lady for university relations and the former athletic director did, but none of the others. Its a mockery. Its all about friendship and the hell with the rules and who gets trampled on. Naturally under this administration, the rules apply to everyone except the top dogs. Business as usual. Castell must be laughing her ass off right now. Ammons is taking some of the sting off of her with these silly decisions that he is making. Who would have ever THUNK of mentioning Castell and Ammons in the same breath. God help us all.
ReplyDeleteJust told by reliable source that members on the search committee, whoever they are, were called a week or so ago and told to take their dear time in reviewing applications for vp student affairs slot. Insider said it was the president and chair of committee, hudson who called in the members one by one. Everything is now starting to make sense. It was a damn setup. Can't wait til Board meeting when public forum is on. Reserve your tickets now bc all hell will break loose.
ReplyDeleteInteresting what the last blogger wrote. I heard the same thing from several people over the weekend. Plus, was told that there are only one, possibly two members on the search committee for student affairs vp. If this was vp for academic affairs, the committee would be overwhelmingly academic people. Glad to hear some brave people in student affairs have actually voiced their strong disagreement with makeup of committee to president and others. But he's not listening cause its a setup for hudson in the long term. Administration does not want to find a capable applicant out of the current pool of sixty or more. SETUP,SETUP, SETUP. FSU got rid of a bad situation, now FAMU wants to take on a bad situation.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I can't believe that the president would lay his reputation on the line at all costs to put his friend in a position when he is totally inexperienced. If he is that crazy perhaps the earlier comments are on target that the president is becoming a male version of Castell Bryant. If this sh@# is true, the comments are right that Castell is probably laughing her mean ass off. Say it aint so, ammons.
ReplyDeletewell, lets wait and see if this sh** goes down as predicted. Hope the prez has more sense than to go down a path of holy hell where no good will come out it. Lets wait and see if he is going to throw his integrity out with the baby in the bath water.
ReplyDeleteExperience and ability is not a pre-requisite for appointment as an interim. Have you ever seen an institution that loves the word "interim" as much as FAMU. Here interim is synonymous with "one who has no leadership ability" or "one who cannot get the job on professional merit." It's the only place where an interim can serve for three years or more!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Dr. Hudson! I hope he proves the "naysayers" wrong. Leadership skills can be acquired with training and with experience. He cannot please everyone and shouldn't try.
ReplyDeleteMy motto is: Follow policy, use common sense and do the right thing. And most of all make share that your people are doing their jobs. Hire a Director Student Activities as soon as possible. No retreads and recycles! Enthusiasm, vision, energy and people skills in Student Activities!!