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Southern's Mass Communications Chair Resigns

By Latrice Pinkins
Black College Wire

Photo credit: Southern University Vice Chancellor Johnny E. Tolliver says a national search will begin.

Mass Communications Chair Ted White has filed a grievance against Southern University after receiving $7,000 less over the summer, and is resigning his position at the end of the spring semester.

"The university did not pay me the funds that the chancellor promised to pay for chairs who took part in the grade review procedures," White said.

"Chairs that took part in the grade review committees that took part in the classes for the summer would be fully compensated and would suffer no penalty as a result of giving up their classes," White said.

Southern created the grade review committees to determine whether there was merit to the allegations of unauthorized changes in grades, revealed last year in a scandal involving the registrar's office.

After serving on the board of a grade review committee and resigning from classroom activities, White said he still was penalized because he received a pay cut.

"Afterwards I received $7,000 less than I normally would; it was a reduction from the amount I would have normally received from teaching" a summer session, he said.

According to White, if he had taught the two classes instead of surrendering them, he would have received $7,000 more.

"I am accusing the chancellor of reneging on his promise, and as a result of that, I not only filed a grievance but I informed the administration that I am retiring in disgust at the end of the spring semester," White said.

White said he was hired 14 years ago to get the department accredited. The department is up for reaccreditation in fall 2005 or spring 2006.

"We are going to conduct a national search to replace Mr. White," said Johnny E. Tolliver, vice chancellor of academic affairs. "I am sure once we put this in the Chronicle [of Higher Education] and other places, we will get good applicants."

Tolliver was Mass Communications Department chair at Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss.

He said he planned to meet with members of the Mass Communications Department and others around the campus to discuss his plans for the department.

"It seems to me that the mass comm department at a school as large as SU, with an accredited undergraduate and master's program, they should have a television and radio station," Tolliver said.

He said he was working to create a public radio station and a television outlet that can broadcast in neighboring communities.

"Southern deserves its own radio station not only for training, but having Southern out on the airwaves spreading good news, educating the nation and providing goodwill in the community," Tolliver said.

Latrice Pinkins is a student at Southern University who writes for The Southern Digest.

Posted Dec. 6, 2004