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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Claims of a lack of transparency and accountability on Oakwood University’s campus have members of an alumni-led group calling for the University’s President, Dr. Leslie Pollard, to resign or be removed by the board of trustees.
Concerned Oakwoodites Leadership Team Member Sheila McNeil has lots of questions about the standing of the university.
“Why are we not as a faith-based institution in a better financial situation? A better environmental situation? A better culture on the campus?” McNeil asked.
Dr. Pollard is currently serving his third term as president – a term set to end June 2026.
“When we think about the finances…the financial challenges the school has admitted to, the enrollment declines over the years under this president, the living conditions that we’re concerned about over there for the students – when we put all of that together, it’s unsustainable,” McNeil stated.
Concerned Oakwoodites – a group composed of 1,700 university alumni, former faculty and staff – held a news conference back on October 16, 2023, to air these concerns. That same day, representatives from the University’s board requested a meeting with a few of its members.
Since that meeting, Concerned Oakwoodites say they’ve seen little to no movement when it comes to corrective action.
“We can work through this, or we can work at it, but the arrogance of not even talking to us…it’s like okay, we’re just going to embarrass our own school,” Concerned Oakwoodites Leadership Team Member Joe Booth said.
Oakwood’s board has said its current financial situation is similar to other faith-based institutions, but Booth disagrees. He compared Oakwood’s finances and enrollment numbers over the past five years to Southern Adventist University – a sister institution in Chattanooga.
According to the data, Booth says there’s twice as many students at Southern and they have a smaller administrative staff.
“We have to dig to get the data, they will furnish us no information. We ask questions, we get no answers,” Booth explained.
Here’s Oakwood University’s full statement:
Like most faith-based colleges and universities – including Seventh-day Adventist Universities in the North American Division – Oakwood University faces the challenge of attracting greater numbers of students from a shrinking available pool. Educational industry research points out that this reality is not unique to Oakwood University; it is an increasingly common challenge for institutions across multiple regions and demographic groups, whether public or private.
Oakwood University administrators have been engaged in strategic planning with its Board of Trustees (BOT) throughout the latter half of 2023 – including extensive and in-depth discussion at the Trustees’ October and November meetings. The Board’s work focused on developing updated plans to further strengthen Oakwood University’s financial foundation in a way that aligns with and responds to current market realities.
Previous financial and enrollment challenges required adjustments in financial operations but did not affect solvency. Expenditures on student scholarships and designated funds used for capital projects reduced our cash on hand. However, there has been no new indebtedness. The institution, with the support of financial advisors, continues to look for ways to reduce expenses while increasing revenues.
We have already begun communicating key updates about Oakwood University with alumni around the United States and around the globe. We have several established communication channels through which we will continue to share timely and relevant updates with our stakeholders in the coming months. We include two such updates here concerning the University’s philanthropy and its recent accreditation evaluation. In 2023, financial support through philanthropic channels increased by 1.2 million dollars over 2022. On December 6, 2023, the 77 members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Directors, on behalf of the US Department of Education, voted the full 10-year institutional accreditation to the University through to 2032.
This important work is taking place under the leadership of University President Dr. Leslie Pollard, whose significant accomplishments and 25+ years of higher educational expertise is greatly valued by the Board of Trustees. The BOT strongly supports and affirms the President, his administrators, the University’s dedicated faculty, our sacrificial staff, and the stellar students we are each privileged to serve.
Oakwood University values its vast network of alumni, who are deeply vested in the institution’s continued success, and thanks all of our stakeholders for their continued prayers, their significant financial support, and their positive private and public influence as we advance Oakwood University.
Concerned Oakwoodites are calling on parents of current students, and current faculty and staff to speak up if they have a concern.
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