Shaw Alumni Support Ceases In Greensboro

To Whomever Concerned;

The Greensboro Chapter of the Shaw University National Alumni Association wishes to express our dissatisfaction with the Board of Trustees and the Administrative Team of Shaw University. After careful and pain wrenching debate, we have decided to withhold all financial support and cease all fundraising efforts until matters are properly addressed by the above mentioned parties. Our decision is based on several key facts:

*The Administrative Team has repeatedly demonstrated it does not have the capacity to manage the day-to-day operations of the college. Very basic budgetary goals relating to the well being of our students and relating to the academic integrity of the college have not been fulfilled. Hence the brand known as ‘Shaw University’ has diminished to a point where the retention of students, the procurement of funds and the galvanization of alumni has become daunting at best.

*The Administrative Team has failed to communicate effectively to students, faculty/staff and alumni. Students were forced to resort to a very public and embarrassing act of civil disobedience recently in order to get the attention of the administration. This act could have been averted if lines of communications had been available. The faculty has expressed it’s displeasure with the Administrative Team but are muted in response because of fears of retaliation which could jeopardize their employment at the college. Alumni have long called for more openness from the Office of the President, but at this time it has not occurred.

*The Administrative Team has not put forth a strategic plan designed to address past, present and future financial issues confronting the college.

*The Administrative Team has failed to pursue and followed up on potential fundraising opportunities. Case History: Two years ago the Greensboro Chapter was approached by one of our most prominent local ministers who expressed a desire to make a sizeable contribution to Shaw University in his honor. Considering the potential size of this gift, we felt it should be handled directly by the Office of the President. This information was communicated to a Vice-President and we fully expected everything would have been done to secure the funds. Follow-up with the minister was done a year later and we were told that he had not heard a thing from Raleigh. We questioned the Vice-President about this matter and were told that it was no longer their concern because they had been fired. Sadly, this opportunity could be lost forever, and the Greensboro Chapter will not peruse it any further at this time.

*The Administrative Team had failed to ‘mine’ local Baptist churches for more support. The president should have made an appearance in large churches in every city and asked ministers to pass a plate in the name of Shaw University to help us through this financial crisis.

*The Administration has failed to properly police students accounts and has failed to collect unpaid debt from current students which has worsened the financial health of the college.

*The Administration has failed to monitor and expel students who damage university property. When I was there, Shaw would purchase a bus ticket just to be rid of you.

*The Administration has failed to monitor and to ensure all employees are executing the duties they were hired to perform. Often times we can’t even find people in their offices when we visit.

*The Administrative Team has accumulated a mounting debt that is used to cover the daily operating expenses of the University. It is one thing to buy a plasma tv on a credit card, but when you are using it to pay your monthly reoccurring expenses, -you have real financial problems.

*The CAPE sites are not adequately supported and in some cases have become an eyesore to their respective communities. The Greensboro Chapter has decided to divert monies we would normally send to Raleigh and use it to help spruce up the High Point campus.