Every night, Nathaniel Pilate, a 1957 graduate of Florida A&MUniversity, scans headlines abouthis alma mater and shudders.
He sits behind a computer screen in his home office – where walls areadorned with plaques reading “Outstanding Leadership” – and reads articles fromthe Tallahassee Democrat’s online edition: “Trust at issue for FAMU budget”;”Legislators see FAMU progress, but not enough”; and “Financial securitythreatened.”
Since Interim President Castell V. Bryant took the wheel in January, theuniversity has been in the process of an overhaul. With many administratorsinvolved in terminations, suspensions or resignations; a university-widespending freeze and an employee cell-phone recall, alumni are torn betweencelebration and silence.
Pilate prefers silence.
As president of the Florida A&M University National AlumniAssociation from 1991 to 1997, Pilate has seen the top of the hill.
“It was during the good years,” Pilate boasted.
“The ‘College of the Year’ years.”
But Pilate said that due to a board of trustees that exhibits less thanprofessional behavior and a faulty presidential selection process, FAMU hasbeen falling ever since.
“We’re on a downhill spin now and unless something happens to turn itaround, we’ll be in a freefall,” said Pilate, who is chairman of the board ofParrish Medical Center in Titusville, Fla. “No telling where we’ll end up.”
However, Demetral R. Wester is celebrating Bryant’s management.
Bryant “knows what to do and is not afraid to do it,” said Wester, whois on the executive board of the National Alumni Association and is a member ofthe Jacksonville Alumni Chapter in Florida.
“Whether it be freezing (spending) or terminations or resignations orwhat have you, she has us going in the right direction,” she said. “We’re nolonger throwing good money out the bag.”
Wester graduated from FAMU in 1956. Her children and grandchildrengraduated from FAMU, so she said she has a vested interest in what happens.Wester said Bryant’s actions have propelled the university on the right course.
On the other hand, Pilate said a lack of foresight has stifled theuniversity’s growth.
“I’m concerned about the hastiness of the decisions – the tendency tofire someone without any knowledge about who she’s going to replace them with,”Pilate said.
“That was the downfall of Gainous,” referring to former president FredGainous.
However, for Pilate, all news is not bad news. He said he believes thatthe spending freeze, for instance, will help alleviate the deficit. But themain difference between Pilate and Wester is that Wester is still involved.
Pilate no longer holds an official position. He watches the university’sprogress from his residence in central Florida, checking the TallahasseeDemocrat every night and reading the community paper Capitol Outlook.
Pilate said his role parallels that of any former National AlumniAssociation president.
“Every time you get up to speak, they say ‘sit down,'” Pilate said.
“I served my time.”
Pilate admits that he didn’t support Bryant at first. Her methods, hesaid, seemed brash and her alleged “hit list” made her appear to be sometactless tyrant. But Wester said she has faith in Bryant, believes inher methods and feels comfortable that under her leadership, FAMU will find itsway back to the top.
