Late Friday afternoon, FAMU officials removed Michelle Ferrier as dean of the School of Journalism and Graphic Communications (SJGC). Bettye Grable will serve as acting dean until a permanent replacement can be found. Provost Maurice Edington is expected to meet with the journalism faculty on Monday morning to break the news.
Ferrier’s short tenure as dean had been marked by controversy. Early on, she attempted to make several questionable hires. Then last month she filed a lawsuit against one of her former subordinates over a personal loan. On top of this, there were allegations of bullying by faculty.
Unlike previous deans Ferrier, who was paid $183,000, did not teach a class. Her extensive travel and self promotion became another complaint among faculty and staff.
Unlike previous deans Ferrier, who was paid $183,000, did not teach a class. Her extensive travel and self promotion became another complaint among faculty and staff.
The choice to remove Ferrier came after a lengthy investigation by the university.
Ferrier previously served as an associate professor of Journalism and was a former associate dean at Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication. She began work at FAMU on October 1, 2018.