Questions are swarming Morris Brown College (MBC) in Atlanta after the firing of its longtime president, Dr. Kevin E. James. The school’s board of trustees announced the move on Monday (Jan. 12), which prompted confusion and shocking response from James himself.
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James took to Facebook to share his disappointment, writing, “The timing of this decision is particularly troubling, as the institution is approaching its accreditation reaffirmation review in a few weeks.” He added, “Equally concerning is that this action disregards established governance best practices and my existing presidential contract.”
It’s true James’ exile comes at a very interesting time for the troubled historically Black college (HBCU), which appeared to be undergoing a promising resurrection under his leadership. Since taking the position in 2019, James helped expand enrollment after MBC lost its accreditation years prior.
Morris Brown was founded in 1881 as a private Methodist liberal arts college. With notable alumni like civil rights leader Hosea Williams and Pulitzer Prize winner James Alan McPherson, the HBCU was once a pillar in the Atlanta community. By the early 2000s, however, MBC was in deep trouble.
The college had become heavily dependent on federal aid to cover operational costs and growing enrollment. To qualify for funds, the responsibility was on former president Dolores Cross and financial aid director Parvesh Singh to accurately provide enrollment data to the government. Instead, they inflated the numbers and raked in $3.4 million of fraudulently obtained funds, according to NBC News.
In 2002, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools caught word and voted to strip Morris Brown of its accreditation, which pushed the Black school to the brink of closure. Ex-President Cross and Parvesh were indicted in 2004, WBEZ reported.
As the years went on, more students continued to drop until the once 2,500 population at the school barely reached 50. Morris Brown filed for bankruptcy in 2012, according to reports, but that’s not the end of the story!
In 2019, Dr. James inherited more than just a fixer-upper with Morris Brown College. The school had sold dozens of acres of property to pay off debts, still had no accreditation and basically zero funding. In his first semester in office, a fire even broke out, forcing James to get creative with ways to fund the rebuilding.
“No one would give me any money, but someone donated a can of paint,” Dr. James recalled of the fire. “And so the staff, we painted the walls ourselves. We did the Sheetrock work the best we could by ourselves,” according to the Christian Science Monitor.
Under James, MBC survived the COVID-19 pandemic, cleared remaining debts, increased student enrollment to over 500 and even set plans to restart the school’s marching band. In 2022, the school’s accreditation was finally restored, according to the website.
With all Dr. James has accomplished in just over five years, it’s understandable why his termination has surprised the HBCU community. “This action is deeply concerning,” the former president continued on Facebook. “Research and my lived experience demonstrate that many HBCUs have struggled with board overreach and interference. Unfortunately, those dynamics are evident in this situation.”
His presidential contract was set to end in 2029. The board thanked James for his service in a separate statement. Board trustee Nzinga Shaw will serve as interim president.
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