Following the circulation of the previous petition and the allocation of grant funds for student stipends and travel, Provost Josiah Sampson and the administration have intensified their actions against the students. They have implemented a 21-day travel policy rule, which has been used to prevent another significant student trip for a research project summit. This project is one of the largest of its kind in the United States.
In conjunction with Vice Presidents Dr. Pacey Bowens and Donovan Coley, Provost Sampson has declined to reimburse students who had deductions made from their stipends for balances. This is despite the fact that grant funds for stipends are intended for students and cannot be used to offset balances.
The administration is also retaliating against esteemed professors who have worked diligently to resolve the stipend issues, advocated tirelessly for student interests, and reported numerous incidents of financial mismanagement, malfeasance, and other illegal activities to the administration. These professors have faced further backlash and disdain from the administration, including wrongful termination and nonrenewal of contracts, wrongful removal as principal investigators of certain grants, and the unlawful refusal to pay significant compensation rightfully owed to them.
Provost Sampson is unilaterally imposing a requirement for political science graduating seniors to present thesis orals with minimal notice. This is noteworthy as he is essentially taking over the role of a department for which he has not hired a chair, does not have faculty with a terminal degree in political science, and that has already waived the presentations. These unilateral, autocratic actions to override the authority of other departments and make unjust decisions are characteristic of his approach.
The current administration’s practices, which are perceived as corrupt, harmful, and against student interests, can be traced back to the previous administration. Edmond Hughes, the Chairman of the Board and also the Chairman of the Presidential Search Committee in 2019, facilitated the appointment of Carmen J. Walters as the 14th President of Tougaloo College. This was despite her lack of experience in undergraduate administration or teaching, and her background and qualifications in community college leadership.
The subsequent four years under her leadership have been marked by a series of challenges. These include a significant decline in enrollment, unprecedented faculty and administrative turnover, student disengagement and low morale, deteriorating infrastructure, and financial mismanagement that has left the college in substantial debt.
President Walters, along with her cabinet and staff, particularly Dr. Schenika Harrison, Dr. Pacey Bowens, and Dr. Daphne Chamberlain, have been accused of micromanaging and misappropriating grants and other funding received by the college. The funds were allegedly spent recklessly on priorities other than resources for students and faculty.
The consequences of these actions have been severe. They include mold and a lack of heating or air conditioning in the dormitories, an outdated water system leading to frequent class cancellations due to water leak repairs, the alleged illegal usurpation and misappropriation of scholarship funds to the point where there were no scholarship funds available for the Spring 2024 semester at one point, and a lack of funds in the budget to pay adjunct professors or provide living wages to faculty, thereby impacting students’ ability to meet graduation requirements.
Rather than implementing an administration to rectify the situation following the departure of Walters last year (who was still compensated with six months of severance pay), Chairman Hughes repeated past actions to ensure that all the aforementioned issues would be concealed through the appointment of Dr. Donzell Lee as Interim President for one year. This was followed by a surreptitious extension of his contract a few months later.
Dr. Lee, who had a 45-year tenure at Alcorn State University, served one year as interim president. Following this, the IHL Board promptly appointed another individual to serve as the permanent president. Dr. Lee ensured that none of these issues would surface by retaining the same cabinet members and staff from the Walters administration and offering them the same loyalty and protection.
He appointed Dr. Josiah Sampson as Provost, who has been acting as the de facto president. Dr. Sampson, who has served in faculty or administrative roles at five schools over six years, is most known for his tenure as the Provost of St. Augustine University during its probation period and subsequent loss of SACCS accreditation.
Together, along with St. Augustine alumni recruited by the Provost, they have allowed the members of the previous administration to continue to undermine the college and adversely affect students. They have perpetuated the tradition of financial mismanagement and malfeasance to the extent that the Justice Department and UNICEF are now investigating these issues. They have also created a challenging environment for students.
Notably, they have permitted the registrar, Dr. Pam England, a Walters appointee, who has been entirely antagonistic towards faculty, has provided incorrect advice to students, and has undermined the senior graduation audit process, to jeopardize the graduation of current seniors and the matriculation of current students.
To exacerbate matters, there are significant academic issues that the Provost is overlooking that threaten Tougaloo’s accreditation through SACCS. These include departments that lack chairs, a higher number of adjuncts than full professors, and the destructive advising and unilateral actions of the registrar. Yet, they would retaliate against anyone who raised these issues.
We, the students of Tougaloo College, who are committed to civic responsibility and social change, have reached a point where we can no longer tolerate the current state of affairs. This marks the fourth petition in a year and a half, highlighting these issues and challenging the administration. It is crucial for stakeholders who are invested in the survival and prosperity of our beloved institution to take these matters seriously, particularly considering the impact on the students. Consequently, we demand the immediate resignation or termination of the following individuals:
Board Chairman Edmond Hughes: His actions in protecting the previous and current administration, despite their destructive decisions and the disastrous outcomes they have produced, have led to a situation that threatens the very existence of Tougaloo College.Interim President Donzell Lee: As a co-conspirator with Chairman Hughes, he has neglected his responsibilities to the college. Despite Tougaloo’s budget woes, he spends most of his time traveling and away from the college, allowing the Provost free rein to dismantle the institution.Provost Josiah Sampson: He has proven to be the most destructive force in the history of Tougaloo College and poses a significant threat to its students. His actions have alienated the faculty, mishandled administrative functions, and exacerbated the college’s financial mismanagement. His unethical and unlawful actions include serving as Principal Investigator for multiple grants with the intention of diverting those funds to cover other debts.VP of Finance Pacey Bowens: At the center of Tougaloo’s budget crisis and financial mismanagement, she has allowed for the unethical and unlawful misappropriation of funds and retaliation against those who challenge it. Despite the budget deficit her financial mismanagement created, the college pays for her housing and personal bills through a credit card issued to her.Grants Manager Dr. Schenika Harrison: Currently under investigation by the Justice Department, she has a documented history of misappropriating and mismanaging grant funds. Despite the pending investigations, she continues to manage grants, thanks to the Provost.Asst. Provost Jon C. Smith: A St. Augustine alumnus appointed by Dr. Sampson, he is serving in the Provost’s office despite not having the necessary qualifications. His appointment comes at a time when the budget is insufficient to meet the needs of adj. VP of Enrollment Donovan Coley: An alumnus of St. Augustine, he was appointed by Dr. Sampson despite holding a master’s degree in divinity, which led to a unilateral change in the degree requirement for the position by the President. He has reportedly alienated the college’s top recruiter within his first few weeks and has been perceived as offensive to students. He is also upholding the Provost’s stance that student stipends can be used to cover balances that have not been timely resolved by Financial Aid.Registrar Dr. Pam England: She has reportedly taken over the role of faculty in academic advising and process, to the detriment of students. Dr. England is accused of frequently providing incorrect advice to students, mishandling curriculum information, and displaying disrespect towards students and faculty when they point out her constant mistakes and misinformation. She is currently jeopardizing the graduation process for the current senior class and may have provided incorrect information for degrees for last year’s graduates.Human Resources Director Karen Cole: A loyalist of the previous president, Walters, she has allegedly provided unlawful and unethical advice to both administrations regarding wrongful terminations and nonrenewal of employees. She has also reportedly provided cover for the administration’s retaliation against employees for reporting misconduct.Career Services Director Melissa McCoy: Another loyalist of the previous president, Walters, she has reportedly received federal and private grant funding for Career Services from grants designated for a separate entity of the college due to Dr. Daphne Chamberlain. Furthermore, she has created a complex and burdensome process for seniors to document their experiential learning experiences in order to graduate. The Career Services Office under her leadership is perceived as serving no purpose to students or the greater college community and attempts to take credit for efforts made at the department level.Dean of Student Services Sharon Alexander: Since taking the position, she has been fundamentally antagonistic toward students and student interests and has shown no accountability for such conduct.TCNAA President Joyce Delk: A loyalist to the previous president and administration, she has propagated the narrative that questioning any administrator or decision would adversely affect recruiting at Tougaloo. She has consistently sided with the administration over student interests, despite student dissatisfaction, and has stifled the voice of alumni in providing any accountability to the previous and current administrations.
This is the final petition that we, the students of Tougaloo College, will submit. If the Board of Trustees does not meet these demands by May 1, 2024, we are prepared to withdraw completely from the school and discourage others from attending in the upcoming school year. It is clear that the current administration, along with the aforementioned individuals, prioritize their own self-interests and greed over the interests of students, whose collective tuition pays them to provide a subpar college experience. The Board has allowed this to happen. If this administration is replaced, we would like to move forward with a collective action plan, working with all Tougaloo stakeholders to address these issues and effect positive change.
Given that the request for an internal investigation into the college’s financial misconduct has been disregarded, we are left with no choice but to report the allegations outlined in this petition to the Justice Department and other relevant law enforcement agencies. We possess documented evidence supporting these allegations, which will also be submitted to them.
We are aware that the Board may not safeguard us, or those faculty and staff members who support us and have reported illegal activities, from the inevitable retaliation that will follow this petition from the current administration. We do not anticipate swift resolution or adequate student protection from the Board. Therefore, we are prepared to take every possible measure to protect our interests, as we have always been compelled to do as students at this institution.
Enough is enough! We deserve better! We must save Tougaloo!!
