Former FAMU VP of University Advancement George Cotton’s April 16th lawsuit paints a picture of a FAMU culture in which, if true, he may have been bullied and harassed by FAMU BOT Members. Cotton infers that his several complaints to his supervisor, then Interim President Larry Robinson, fell on deaf ears.
Cotton said he reached out to Robinson six times to meet with him to discuss potentially illegal and undue pressure from BOT chairman Kelvin Lawson, Trustees Robert Woody and Thomas Dortch to help friends or associates of the three men to get contracts or jobs with the university. For six times, Robinson refused to meet with Cotton or did not respond to his email pleas for help.
The complaint paints a picture where potentially illegal and unacceptable conduct by Trustees trying to enforce their will upon Cotton became tolerated or normalized.
The Workplace Bullying Institute defines workplace bullying as “repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators. It is abusive conduct that is threatening, humiliating, or intimidating, or work interference (sabotage) which prevents work from getting done, or verbal abuse.”
The immense job stress sent Cotton to the hospital, the suit maintains.
In 2017, the complaint alleges, that Trustee Dortch, who chaired the BOT Direct Support Organizations (DSO) Committee that oversaw the FAMU Foundation and other direct support organizations, participated in improper conduct as he attempted to have him (Cotton) steer a web-based contract to two individuals with whom he (Dortch) had a professional/personal/business relationship.
Further, that a meeting Cotton had with Dortch in the Foundation office in which the two of them were supposed to go over a fundraising campaign plan and BOT matters, Cotton was surprised to find that Dortch had arranged to have two African American consultants on hand to pitch their proposals for contract work.
According to the complaint, “Dortch became very irate and frustrated with him (Cotton) after he (Cotton) reminded him (Dortch) that it would be inappropriate for him (Cotton) to enter into a contract with his (Dortch) personal associates.
Just six months prior to resigning, Cotton alleges that Trustee Woody attempted to have him assist an associate of his to obtain contract business with FAMU. Specifically, on June 23, 2017, Woody made his displeasure with Cotton known to him because he failed to follow-up with his friend and connect him “with people at FAMU who could assist him in obtaining a contract.” The lawsuit alleges that Woody asked him bluntly, “how much do we pay you” and “whatever it is, it is too much.”
Woody further stated, “that Carmen Cummings (one of Cotton’s direct reports) should be the vice president and she’s much better to look at anyway,” the complaint said.
According to the lawsuit, at the FAMU BOT in Jacksonville in August 2017, Woody again approached Cotton to chastise him for “making him look bad” with his friend whom he was trying to secure a contract for. When Cotton reminded Woody that it would be inappropriate to give a contract without going through the proper procurement process, Woody is said to have replied, “I see, you obviously aren’t a Rattler, you don’t know how White boys do business here in Florida.”