Alumni Distrust Albany State Presidential Search, Demand a More Robust Process

Albany State University (ASU) alumni are voicing concerns about the ongoing presidential search, fearing that the University System of Georgia (USG) is repeating a troubling pattern of weak selection processes for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). With nearly 600 alumni signing a petition, many feel the current search could result in another interim president being promoted permanently, as happened twice since 2013.

The departure of former President Marion Ross Fedrick last year was seen as an opportunity for a rigorous, national search to find a highly qualified leader who could elevate ASU and its community. However, alumni believe the process lacks transparency and fairness, especially compared to presidential searches at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), where candidates are often selected after extensive searches.

Antonio Daniels, a 2004 ASU graduate and higher education researcher, criticized the process, suggesting that the USG’s presidential search practices are less thorough for HBCUs. “It’s curious when you consider that Georgia has historically underfunded its HBCUs,” Daniels said.

A petition circulating among alumni calls for the removal of interim President Lawrence M. Drake II from consideration for the permanent role, expressing concern that the search could be a “smoke and mirrors” process. Drake, whose career includes 21 years at Coca-Cola and a brief tenure as interim president at Bethune-Cookman University, has been criticized for his limited experience in higher education leadership compared to recently appointed presidents at PWIs.

Some alumni, like Shaun Harper, a USC professor and ASU graduate, argue that the search for ASU’s president should not be handled differently from those at PWIs. “Shortchanging a presidential search process would never fly at a PWI,” Harper said.

ASU alumni also feel that their voices have been ignored throughout the search process. Sue Polite-Williams, an ASU graduate, emphasized that alumni are simply asking for a fair and transparent search process that matches the standards seen at Georgia’s PWIs.

David A. Thomas, president of Morehouse College, also expressed skepticism about the ASU search process, noting that well-resourced universities attract top candidates through rigorous searches. He questioned whether the USG’s approach to HBCU searches is fundamentally different from those for Georgia’s larger, predominantly white institutions.