In a sudden move that upset faculty, students, alumni and members of the community, Martin University has fired sixteen employees. The decision, suddenly announced on Friday (October 18), took the university community and general community by surprise. Students flooded AM1310 The Light’s Friday Amos & Abdul program with calls and complaints of concern. Callers charged that professors were fired even though its the middle of the Fall semester; leaving students puzzled and concerned over who would teach the departing professors courses. Students also charged that the staff of key university departments like Financial Aid were decimated while other key staff members were terminated. Callers charged a pattern of insensitive administrators and financial issues that go back to the administration of Martin University’s former President Dr. George Miller. Interim Martin University President Dr. Eugene White, the former IPS Superintendent called into the program to try and set the record straight. Dr. White confirmed that sixteen individuals had been terminated. Seven faculty members and nine staff members. Dr. White blamed the problems on the University “overestimating” what their student enrollment would be for the current semester. When that enrollment didn’t materialized, said White, cuts unfortunately had to be made. Dr. White insisted that he and the university had been communicating with faculty and especially with students. He cited meetings the he and University officials had had with students. But Tia Graham, President of Martin University’s student association disputed some of Dr. White’s account. She said while had there had been student meetings, neither she nor other student leaders had were given a heads up on the dismissals. Graham told Amos and Abdul that she’s only had brief meetings (less than five minutes) with Dr. White and other top University officials. And that they really weren’t listening to student concerns, which includes, in their view, poor administration. Student concerns also include oddities like a top university official serving as head of Institutional Advancement and IT and another serving as the number two person in the University as well as HR Director. Click The Arrow to Hear the Full Interview with Martin University Students, the school’s Interim President and Student Leader. Dr. Eugene White is at the 16:20 Mark. Student Leader Tia Graham at the 36:40 mark. Total Runs 43 Minutes., ©2013 WTLC/Radio One.
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