Back on Friday, Nov. 7, the trustees Athletics Oversight
Committee voted to recommend that the full Board of Trustees pass a policy
requiring two trustees to be appointed to the advisory committee. The motion
did not state any intention to restrict the two trustees from being voting
members. According to WCTV-6, Mangum told the committee that
she thought that proposal was inappropriate.
But during the Monday conference call for the full board, Athletics Oversight
Committee Chairman Kelvin Lawson said that Mangum had agreed to give the
trustees nonvoting representation on the committee after consulting with Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) President Belle Wheelan.
“According to the regulation by SACS, [trustees] can only join the committee as nonvoting members,” Lawson said.
SACS is the regional accrediting organization that monitors whether
FAMU is in compliance with standards set by the U.S. Department of Education. It
strictly prohibits university trustees from making personnel decisions below
the level of the university presidency.
Trustee Rufus Montgomery was upset by Mangum’s decision to
take her questions to SACS.
“I think it was irresponsible for the president…to go to the
president of SACS,” he said.
Mangum has not announced which two trustees will join the
advisory committee.