As an alumnus of South Carolina State University, I am rarely surprised to hear about the ongoing shenanigans of the board of trustees.

What is surprising is how the university and its alumni continue to withstand such silliness from the board. In my recollection, the university has never had an effective board of trustees. The governors of South Carolina have always used the S.C. State board of trustees as a dumping ground for their political pawns.

Thus, we have suffered as a university and have watched our peer institutions near, around the state and throughout the nation pass us by on every level.

We currently have a great president and have had several in the past, but their downfalls have consistently been due to a dysfunctional board of trustees. Most of the trustee members who have been appointed at S.C. State have attempted to run the school, a role that belongs to the president.

I am committed to donating to the school and being involved in the local alumni chapter. I only ask that the board of trustees do its job to set policy, hold the president accountable and let the president run the institution. I would ask Gov. Mark Sanford, who is a fellow alumnus of mine from the University of Virginia, to make sure individuals understand and value the importance of their role in helping the university grow in a positive direction before he reappoints current board members or appoints new members.

My name is Freddie D. Smith, Ph.D., and I'm an assistant superintendent of schools in a high-performing school district in Westchester County, N.Y. I know what its like to work with an effective board of trustees and have attended two universities (Virginia State University and The University of Virginia) that have their total act together. Therefore, I know that an effective board is attainable with the right people.

Unfortunately, S.C. State has been burdened with too many ineffective board members for too long. It is time for the alumni to say enough is enough. We need to work with the Legislature to change the way the board of trustees is appointed, as well as address the residency requirement. If we fail in doing this, we will always get the bottom of the barrel for trustee members.

-- Freddie D. Smith

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