Bethune-Cookman University President has resigned, officials say
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Updated: 5:46 PM EDT Mar 16, 2021
Bethune-Cookman University President has resigned, officials say
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Updated: 5:46 PM EDT Mar 16, 2021
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SUMMER: PRESIDENT LABRENT CHRITE, THE SEVENTH PRESIDENT TO LEAD THE UNIVERSITY, ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION. WESH 2’S CLAIRE METZ JOINS US LIVE FROM THE BCU CAMPUS IN DAYTONA BEACH. CLAIRE: WE GOT WORD THAT PRESIDENT CHRITE IS LEAVING IN A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN, FORMER JUDGE BELVIN PERRY, AND VICE CHAIR PETER GAMBLE. IN THE RELEASE, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPOKESPERSON SAID THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE PRESIDENTS DECISION TO RESIGN UNTIL HE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO HIS ADMINISTRATION. THEY SAY THEY WISH HIM WELL AND THE VERY BEST IN FUTURE ENDEAVORS. PRESIDENT BRENT CHRITE JOINED BETHUNE COOKMAN IN JULY OF 2019, SO THOUGH HE’S BEEN HERE JUST A SHORT TIME, HE’S WELL THOUGHT OF AMONG THE STUDENT POPULATION, LIKE SOPHOMORE DEMETRIA WILSON. >> MOST PRESIDENTS DON’T EVEN KNOW THEIR STUDENTS BY NAME, YOU GO TO HIM WITH A PROBLEM, HE TELLS YOU HE’S GOING TO HANDLE IT AND HE MEANS WHAT HE SAYS. CLAIRE: THIS IS ALL SO NEW THAT RIGHT NOW, NO REASON HAS BEEN GIVEN AS TO WHY PRESIDENT CHRITE ANNOUNCED THE RESIGNATION, NOR DO WE KNOW WHEN IT’S EFFECTIVE. BUT WORD IS SLOWLY GETTING AROUND CAMPUS, AND STUDENTS SAY THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED. >> WE WANT CONSISTENCY AND IT IS OF COURSE DISAPPOINTING JUST BECAUSE THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN STRUGGLING, AND I FEEL LIKE HE DID REALLY POSITIVE THINGS. CLAIRE: BETHUNE COOKMAN DID HAVE SOME TROUBLING YEARS INVOLVING FINANCES, CURRICULUM, AND EDUCATION STATUS, BUT IN THE STATEMENT FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR, THEY REASSURED THE COMMUNITY THAT LEADERSHIP AT BCU IS MORE THAN ONE PERSON, WRITING, "THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REMAINS ALIGNED AND STEADFAST IN ITS COMMITMENT TO ITS FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF CARE, LOYALTY, AND OBEDIENCE TO THE INSTITUTION. THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND TRUSTEES, WHO FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS GUIDED THE UNIVERSITY THROUGH TURBULENT TIMES AND RESTORED BCU TO THE POSITIVE PATH IT IS ON NOW, REMAIN INTACT AND WILL CONTINUE THE PROGRESS OF THE UNIVERSITY." THERE HAS BEEN NO ANNOUNCEMENT ON AN INTERIM PRESIDENT. WE UNDERSTAND SOME MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OUR MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT THIS AFTERNOON AND WE EXPECT MORE INFORMATION ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS STORY TOMORROW.