Dr. Everett Ward Pushed Out As Saint Augustine’s President; Dr. Gaddis Faulcon In
Raleigh, NC – Sources at Saint Augustine’s University according to Patreon,com, say that President Everett Ward removed his belongings from his office on campus on Thursday March 14th, however the university named his replacement on Tuesday March 12th. Dr. Gaddis Faulcon was named Interim President.
Release from the University reads:
The Board of Trustees of Saint Augustine’s University announced today (March 12) the appointment of Dr. Gaddis Faulcon as the interim president for the University. This appointment is effective immediately. This decision coincides with the beginning of former President Everett Ward’s retirement.
Dr. Ward, who announced his retirement in January just weeks after the university successfully secured reaffirmed accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), departs nearly four months ahead of his intended July retirement date.
According to sources, a meeting between Dr. Ward and members of the faculty and staff scheduled for the afternoon of March 14th was abruptly canceled, and university police escorted Dr. Ward off campus as he packed his office.
The alleged early departure comes seven months after documents provided to the HBCU Digest revealed a divided SAU Board of Trustees on Dr. Ward’s performance, amid concerns about stagnant enrollment, institutional debt and discontent among faculty and staff.
“At this time of significant positive momentum surrounding the next phase of the University’s evolution, the Board of Trustees has determined there is a need to launch the formal transition and search process for the new President,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Hilton Smith. “We are pleased that Dr. Gaddis Faulcon, our 1974 alumnus, has agreed to lead our transition team. He brings the passion and previous experience serving in this pivotal role.”
Faulcon recently served as Vice President of Enrollment Management at Saint Augustine’s University. He also led Shaw University as its interim president from 2014 to 2015. Faulcon, who joined the faculty at Shaw in 1998, has 30 years of experience in higher education and has previously served in several administrative roles. In addition to his roles at Saint Augustine’s and Shaw University, he served as acting executive director for Northeastern North Carolina Tomorrow, Inc. at Elizabeth City State University.
Faulcon earned a B.S. degree in health and physical education from Saint Augustine’s; an M.R.R/M.P.A. in recreation resources management and public administration; and an Ed.D. in higher education and public administration both from North Carolina State University.
At the same meeting, new board members were elected. Those members are Dr. Frankie Jones, Marley Bollinger, and Dr. John Larkins. Chairman Smith announced, “I am pleased to welcome our three newest members to our Board of Trustees. They have unique and diverse experiences in both the private and public sectors that make them an asset to the Board and the University as a whole.”
Dr. Jones is President and CEO of Phoenix One Enterprise and Phoenix One Farms, Inc. headquartered in Alamance County, North Carolina. Dr. Jones is responsible for the firm’s operations in the areas of corporate social responsibility, strategic philanthropy, labor relations, crisis management, and marketing and community relations. Dr. Jones serves on various boards including Duke Energy Corporate Advisory Board, High Point University Board of Visitors, and Wake Forest University School of Divinity Board. He has provided consulting services to corporations, institutions, and nonprofit organizations including Rooms To Go Inc., General Motors, FDIC, Michelin North America, Sara Lee, Sprint, Lowes Companies Inc, Freddie Mac, Food Lion Inc, The American Legion, Wake Forest Medical School, the National American Red Cross, and the CIA. Dr. Jones is a retired United States Air Force Colonel. He served as commander of 436th Headquarters Support Squadron, Dover AFB, commander of the 3400th Technical Training Group- Keesler AFB, the largest and most diversified technical training organization in the Department of Defense where he was responsible for the annual personnel training requirements of 11,000 men and women. Dr. Jones holds a B.S. degree, two M.S. degrees, and a Ph.D. from his studies and NC A&T State University, Tuskegee University, Wayne State University, Shaw University, Virginia University – Lynchburg, and Oxford Graduate School. He recently completed the Director’s Finance Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
Marley Bollinger is the founder of Every Kindness Counts, a character-building curriculum service project for schools. She is also the producer of the Real Tooth Fairies animated movie, music videos, and webisodes. She created patented product lines sold to Walmart and she also consulted and developed marketing for Procter & Gamble. Mrs. Bollinger created award-winning products for Mattel. She also served on Apple’s National Preschool Advisory Board and was a consultant to Disney Publishing, Disney Channel, LeapFrog, Hasbro, Fisher-Price, and Tiger Electronics. Bollinger is the author of 24 Disney books and a series of interactive books. In addition, she published early childhood learning programs, curriculum products, and an activity book series for Simon-Schuster, Macmillan, Ideal, Newbridge, and Western Publishing. Mrs. Bollinger earned a B.S.W. and a M.S.W degree from the University of Kansas.
Dr. John Larkins had a distinguished career in the federal government where he worked for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). He was promoted through the ranks from a senior research program manager, to a Senior Executive Service (SES) branch chief. He later became the first African American to hold the post of executive director of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, a congressionally mandated advisory committee. During his tenure at the NRC, he received many awards for his job performance, including the prestigious Meritorious Service Award. Dr. Larkins retired from the SES in 2005 but was hired back to serve in the Office of Human Resources to help administer the agency’s university grants program. He earned his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Saint Augustine’s University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Howard University. He also completed post-doctorate work in nuclear engineering at Catholic University and MIT. Dr. Larkins has received several honors and awards for his lifetime commitment to Saint Augustine’s.
I would like to start by saying: CONGRATULATIONS! To: Dr. Ward on his RETIREMENT! Job well done! AS FOR ALL THE OTHER NONSENSE!…TRUST AND BELIEVE! WHAT GOES AROUND WILL COME BACK AROUND!
Thank you Phyllis Coley for posing the humane thought that St. Augustine Board could have allowed Dr. Ward to leave the college with dignity. It is obvious that he brought the college up to the academic level it needed to be for restoration of accreditation. That should have been achievement enough for them to have allowed him to leave without such disdain from the Board — no matter what the disagreements or circumstances were in the long run. There are many other ways they could have handled a disparaging situation of any nature without bringing disrespect to the school or anyone else. I say “Shame” to the Board.