Just 517 miles north of 1601 East Market Street, people from Greensboro may find a familiar face. Former North Carolina A&T chancellor and current sociology professor Stanley F. Battle will be leaving Greensboro to serve as interim president of Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) effective May 31.
Battle left the helm of A&T at the end of 2009, citing “family and personal reasons” for his early departure. At the time, he was granted his full chancellor’s salary of $273,156 and went on paid research leave from the end of May until the beginning of the spring 2010 semester. From there he assumed a full-time tenured teaching position in the sociology department at an adjusted professors salary.
Battle is now set to make around $280,200 for the year in his new position, according Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Bernard Kavaler, or $362,733 based on information from the Connecticut Secretary of State website. Assistant Kavaler said that there hasn’t been any discussion as to his being the permanent president of SCSU, as that question hasn’t been posed, but Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr. says it is a possibility.
“I am not sure of Dr. Battle’s plans for the future, but I would imagine that he may have an interest in the position in the long term,” Martin said. Like many people on campus, Martin did not know about Battle’s appointment until recently.
Connecticut State University (CSUS) System Chancellor David G. Carter, Sr. made the appointment after his controversial decision to remove current SCSU President Cheryl J. Norton, the first female president in the 114-year history of CSU. After Carter was granted the power to remove a president “without cause or explanation” with the concurrence of the chairman of the board of trustees in the fall, many faculty and community members feel that Norton was forced out.
“Dr. Carter was interested in someone who had served as a university president previously,” said Kavaler. “The executive committee has already approved the Chancellors decision, and the Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday and vote to confirm the Chancellors decision, but the vote is more of a formality.”
“I first learned that Dr. Battle was being appointed the Interim President of Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday, April 3rd, when a colleague sent me a copy of the newspaper announcement,” he said. “I think it is a great opportunity for Dr. Battle, especially to serve an institution he knows well. I am happy for him.”University of North Carolina Vice President for Communications Joni Worthington said that while there is no uniform system, it isn’t uncommon for this kind of thing to happen.
“It will vary from university to university across the country. Some presidents, or chancellors would have a term contracts. In North Carolina they do not. They serve at the pleasure of the Board of Governors and at the President,” Worthington said. “All of our Chancellors are at-will employees at the University in the position of Chancellor, and according to the code of the University, the BOG is the body that has the authority to remove a Chancellor. They can act on the recommendation of the President, or on their own.”
Martin said that in situations like these, there is normally a very clear reason for any system leader to dismiss a campus chancellor or president.
“The President would typically engage in discussions with the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for an institution and the Chairperson of the Board of Governors before removing a chancellor. In such cases, there would normally be a reason for a chancellor’s removal, e.g., lack of performance, unethical behavior, etc.”
This will be the third time Battle has served in the capacity of president or chancellor in just seven years. Editor’s note: Numerous phone calls to Battle were not returned, and he was not in his office at several points throughout the day to comment on this story.
- Dexter R. Mullins