Dear Members of the Wilberforce University community:
See the statement below from the Wilberforce University Board of Trustees:
Statement from the Wilberforce University Board of Trustees
Recently, the Wilberforce University community was made aware of information that had been publicly reported by a small, local newspaper, the Xenia Gazette.
The Wilberforce University Board of Trustees takes seriously the concerns of all members of the University community. In a spirit of collegiality and transparency, we also value truth and accuracy.
The recent media release of a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the University, notably, the Board Chairman, President, and Chief Financial Officer was not approved, supported, nor endorsed by the Board of Trustees and contained misinformation and untruths. The only Board member present at this meeting was Bishop Errenous E. McCloud, Jr. and while it was reported that eleven faculty members were present, that has not been confirmed.
It must also be noted that eleven faculty members represent a very small fraction of the total number of 114 Wilberforce University workforce of faculty and staff. There was a reference to the HLC report in 2019 without any reference to the fact that in November 2021, HLC removed Wilberforce University from probation. Wilberforce University is accredited without any sanctions. We view the release of this misinformation to the media as an irresponsible act designed to embarrass the individuals and the University and weaken its public profile. It is important to correct the public record with truth in order to protect the University and its future.
The overwhelming majority of the Board of Trustees fully and emphatically supports the leadership of its Board Chairman, Mark Wilson, the University President Elfred Anthony Pinkard, and the Chief Financial Officer, William Woodson. It should be noted that this action was led by a long-serving faculty member with a history of opposition to the last four Wilberforce University presidents and one Board member who has openly defied the actions of the full Board of Trustees and the recommendations of the University’s counsel.
As a Board, we remain laser-focused on the good work occurring at Wilberforce and our path forward to high performance and sustainability.
