AAMU Board Elects Leadership

Members of the Alabama A&M University Board of Trustees voted today to keep its current leadership intact during the important annual meeting held in the Westin Birmingham.  Dr. Jerome B. Williams will continue to serve as president pro tempore of the board, while Trustee Chris Robinson will hold his office as board secretary. 

Williams expressed gratitude to fellow trustees for their confidence in his leadership.  He then selected an executive committee comprised of Trustees Kevin Ball, John Hackett, Jr., Ginger Harper and Chris Robinson.

AAMU President Andrew Hugine, Jr., told the board that the institution is making strides in its long-held vision to become the institution of choice among students seeking a higher education.  He reported that AAMU’s historic fall 2018 enrollment is 6,108, a significant accomplishment considering statistics that indicate that 50 percent of the Alabama’s state colleges and universities have experienced declines.

Hugine then went on to recognize former board members for their service and the difficult decisions made in the past that have led to positive outcomes in the present.  Among the past trustees present who were recognized were Atty. Lucien Blankenship, John O. Hudson, Dr. Hattie Myles, Andre Taylor and Velma Tribue.

Reports

Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Clayton Gibson received board approval to renew and increase AAMU’s line of credit to $8 million.  The board also authorized the planning and securing of funding for a University Event Center and a food court/welcome center.  The welcome center will be located at the intersection of Meridian Street and Chase Road.  Other items on the slate were approval requests for out-of-state tuition waivers for dependents of certain veterans, and a land lease affiliated with the City of Huntsville and a private developer.

Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs Daniel Wims sought an okay to begin the process of establishing an online Master of Public Administration (MPA) program; to attach certain fees to courses in the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership; and to create a single music minor after terminating minors in music instrumental and music choral.  The board also approved requests to discontinue the counseling and guidance concentration in the M.S. in counseling psychology program, along with the termination of the B.A. degree program in cultural studies.

Dr. Archie Tucker, II, vice president for marketing, communications and advancement, announced the celebration in 2019 of AAMU’s 50th year of designation as a “university,” the 50th year anniversary of the AAMU Foundation, and the $500,000 campaign for student retention and 50 new endowed scholarships affiliated with the two observances.

Other Items

In accordance with concerns from AAMU’s accrediting body, the board followed the lead of some other state institutions and amended its bylaws to make the president pro tem the presiding officer of meetings of the board.

The next meetings of the board will be held February 21-22 in the Clyde Foster auditorium on the AAMU campus at 10 a.m.

 - J. Saintjones