Board votes to retain Dawkins; open chair search

The Southern University Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Friday to retain Russell Dawkins as a professor in his tenured department of criminology.
The Board also passed a motion to open a search for a new department chair.
Dawkins had filed a grievance against the university, surrounding retaliation allegations against Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Mwalimu Shujaa and other administration personnel, after Dawkins “blew the whistle” on the mishandling of federal grant funds in 2005.
Dawkins’ due process rights were violated after Shujaa and the administration acted unilaterally in the demotion of a tenured faculty member and promotion of an unqualified professor.
Since Dawkins initially blew the whistle on university officials and their involvement in the “plagiarizing of a grant funds” intended for at-risk kids; finagling it and having it granted in New Orleans,” Dawkins insists he has been the subject of constant harassment and wrongdoing initiated by his former boss, Damien Ejigiri – now the dean of the graduate school – and his colleagues.
Before Dawkins’ attorney, Willie Zanders of New Orleans, began his plea, Board Chairman Tony Clayton, also an attorney, explained that no motions or votes were to be taken prematurely, due to the pending litigation.
To brief the situation, the board members called a private executive session. This was to insure that no information about the pending litigation between Dawkins and Shujaa was released to the public.
“I think it’s going to be alright,” said Zanders, with a confident smile.
“I’m happy that professor Dawkins and I were treated with respect before the Board of Supervisors and I congratulate them for doing the right thing,” said Zanders. “It’s not just one lawyer talking to seven, eight more lawyers; they looked at the facts and we are all on one accord,” he said.
Both Dawkins and Zanders spoke very highly of the board members and their collective decision.
“I am pleased,” said Dawkins, when speaking of their victory. “There are a few more things to do. I think in terms of what we set to accomplish today, Attorney Zanders did that and the board was very accommodating; we appreciate that.”
Albert Samuels, a tenured faculty senator, believes that the board took a step in the right direction, when they officially reinstated Dawkins to the department of criminal justice.
“If the Chancellor was able to move Dawkins to the sociology department it would have set a very bad precedence; the chancellor could move any facilty member,” added Samuels. “The Board said that there would be chair elections and that [the administration] would have to follow the handbook. Of course we will continue to monitor this situation to make sure every thing goes through…and that is in fact what happens.”
Zanders insists that his work is not done until justice is served. Dawkins and his counsel will continue to seek a new chair in the criminal justice department and also continue to seek justice for the wrongdoings inflicted by some Southern administrative personnel members.
“Damien Ejigiri and Allison Anadi’s grant issue was not decided by the board today,” explained Zanders. “I did not press that, I pressed the issue of Dr. Dawkins; that’s not to say I’m not interested,” he finished.
Dawkins admitted that he was relieved that this particular issue was behind him, but did not convey complete satisfaction.
‘I think we’ll see what tomorrow brings,” Dawkins said. “But right now I think this is a victory for our students, graduating seniors and students who are unsure about the status of our program. There should be more comfort that everything is going to be okay!”