Back in 2007, new FAMU President James H. Ammons asked Teresa Hardee to help him rescue FAMU’s accounting systems from the financial mess he inherited from the previous interim administration. Hardee and her staffers brought an end to FAMU’s three years of qualified state audits. That financial turn-around played a central role getting the university off probation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.But despite all Hardee has done to keep FAMU’s doors open, Chairman Chuck Badger has decided to work against her by bringing the Division of Administrative and Financial Services into his personal efforts to placate Gov. Rick Scott.
Badger appointed Scott’s go-to-trustee at FAMU, Rufus Montgomery, as the chairman of the budget and finance committee. That makes Rufus the board’s primary contact with Hardee.
Hardee has done nothing to deserve having to face constant conversations with someone as rude and insulting as Rufus. She should not let Rufus speak to her with any of the disrespectful language that has resulted in numerous public complaints against him.
Rufus has developed a reputation for acting unprofessionally on the FAMU Board of Trustees.
Retired FAMU Professor Roosevelt Wilson, editor of The Grain Online, took Rufus to task for the antics he used on Dec. 8 during his unsuccessful attempt to strong-arm the board into placing Ammons on administrative leave.
“Perhaps more troubling than the call for Ammons’ suspension was the attitude and tone with which Montgomery addressed Ammons following the hazing incident,” Wilson wrote. “Montgomery was arrogant and disrespectful to both the president and the presidency. If he has such little regard for the university and his role as a trustee, perhaps he should resign.”
Stephen Craig Robinson, who recently resigned as the chairman of the Anti-Hazing Committee appointed by the FAMU board, took offense to Rufus’ personal attacks against him. Rufus compared Robinson to a child during the board’s March 30 conference call. Robinson send a letter of resignation to FAMU that called Montgomery’s antics were "ill conceived, uninformed and rude."
There are even more alarming accounts about Rufus’ language outside of FAMU. A blogger named Lisbeth Carter says she had a very unpleasant experience with Rufus at an Atlanta Republicans Holiday Party on Dec. 4, 2010. Carter, an unsuccessful GOP Congressional nominee, says Rufus called her a “F’ing Loser” and also screamed: “F*** you and your F***ing husband to, where ever he is.”
From just looking at the numerous objections and allegations concerning the types of words Rufus uses in public, it isn’t hard to guess what Hardee might soon face when she receives telephone calls from the new board budget and finance committee chairman.
Hardee should not tolerate any foul language from Rufus. She should go ahead an retain and attorney who can send a warning letter to Rufus, if necessary.
Hardee should also file public complaints if Rufus starts talking to her in a demeaning way. She should write the Florida Senate, which confirms trustees and has the ability to subpoena them for questioning. Copies of any such complaint should also go to the Florida governor’s office and State University System of Florida chancellor’s office.
Just because Badger has lost his backbone in dealing with Rufus and Scott doesn’t mean that everyone else at FAMU should run scared, too.