His money and platform could solve this in an instant.
His money and platform could solve this in an instant.
A lot of people were wondering about how the Alabama State University’s Board of Trustees’ suspension of President Gwendolyn Boyd would go down with the university’s most visible advocate, media mogul Steve Harvey.
Here’s how it went down last Friday, from the Montgomery Advertiser.
Steve Harvey speaks out on suspension of ASU president: ‘Maybe there is a power struggle going on’
Comedian Steve Harvey, who is in Montgomery this week to participate in Alabama State University’s Turkey Day Classic…www.al.com
“Now sometimes people in power, we have ulterior motives for what we do,” Harvey continued later. “Maybe there is a power struggle going on that I don’t know anything about.”
He said the board members suspended Boyd without giving her and the student body a reason.
“You have to have a reason for getting rid of a person,” Harvey said. “You can’t suspend a person and not give the person a reason. We just need a reason. The board members should give you a reason.”
The Board did give a reason. Was it a particularly convincing one? That depends on who you ask, and what you believe to be best for Alabama State and its political destiny.
Letter describes why ASU suspended Boyd
Alabama State University President Gwendolyn Boyd failed to lead the school, didn’t accept responsibility for mistakes…www.montgomeryadvertiser.com
Harvey’s commentary on ASU is intriguing, mostly because of the layering of his business interests on and off campus and the school’s ongoing leadership struggle.
Beyond Harvey’s ability to break the school with a three-minute rant on his radio show or by pulling out of the partnership with Hornet Homecoming, some of the usual signs of fighting against political winds swirling on the campus just haven’t been there.
It’s hard to believe that Harvey has not spoken with board members, or at least their proxies about Boyd’s suspension. He has too much money and too much potential to bring other peoples’ millions to the region to be actively ignored by a board, known for years, by its haphazard governance, corruption culture, and financial struggles.
Where are the comments from Governor Robert Bentley, who has not been shy about interfering in previous Alabama State Board decisions or financial outlook?
Where is Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., in its reaction to the suspension of its former national president?
What is the position of ASU alumni, which in August wrote a letter of support for Boyd, but has been silent in the weeks following her suspension?
Alumni association supports ASU president
Alabama State University’s national alumni association has released a letter fully supporting President Gwendolyn Boyd…www.montgomeryadvertiser.com
Why is it that every high profile person and group, which could easily reach the board to force Boyd’s retention, is keeping quiet? With their silence, Hornet alumni, Deltas and the governor of Alabama are actively showing what they can’t or won’t do.
But that has nothing to do with what Steve Harvey could do to preserve the presidency. And he isn’t saying much either, besides “give us the reason.”
Odds are that he knows the reason, and just doesn’t find it acceptable to stand down on the matter. And he doesn’t have to; what he’s doing in Montgomery may be closely connected to Alabama State’s fortunes, but is more about saving a region and making himself richer than it is about protecting Alabama State from its foolishness.
It is clear that influential people and groups are perfectly willing for another chapter of foolishness to be written on Boyd’s account, because they aren’t saying a word.
And on its own, that says a whole lot.
