ASU President Gwendolyn Boyd Put on Administrative Leave
Alabama News Network was at a tense Alabama State University Board of Trustees meeting that culminated in a vote to put ASU President Gwendolyn Boyd on administrative leave. Dr. Leon Wilson was chosen interim president until Boyd receives a full hearing.
That hearing will be to disclose why the board has lost confidence in Boyd’s leadership. That hearing will be on Friday, Nov. 14.
Boyd talked to Alabama News Network during the meeting, saying she was surprised by the vote. She was asked to leave the trustees meeting after she was put on leave.
“It’s disappointing. It definitely caught me off guard. It’s not good for the university, but they are the board and they do get to make that decision,” Boyd said.
Boyd was selected as the university’s 14th president in December 2013. Â The ASU grad was unanimously selected.
Her suspension, however, was not so clear cut. Â New member Tiffany McCord, who had just been sworn in at today’s meeting, was the last to vote and could have ended the whole matter in a tie, but instead she chose to support those wanting to put Boyd on administrative leave.
The new interim president Dr. Leon Wilson says he had no idea this was going to happen.
“Frankly, I don’t like where we are at this moment. We’re going to look for a way to move forward,” he said.
The school is just weeks away from a huge football game. Steve Harvey is partnering with ASU for the Turkey Day Classic.
Greg Calhoun is part owner of HarCal, along with Harvey. He says this shouldn’t impact their business deal.
“I was kind of disappointed for what happened, but that’s the way that life goes. I wish the best for Dr. Boyd and her here and her results. Looking forward to working with whoever the new president is. We got a three year contract to do business at Alabama State and that’s what we’re going to do,” Calhoun told Alabama News Network.
The trustees meeting had been scheduled to be about the university budget at today’s meeting. However, the board tabled those talks, as well as any discussion of possible employee furloughs, which had been rumored.
Board members wouldn’t talk to reporters about the specific reasons why they say they lost confidence in Boyd.
