Hugine named president of Ala. A&M
By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer Saturday, June 20, 20098 comment(s) | Default | Large
Former South Carolina State University President Dr. Andrew Hugine will become the new president of Alabama A&M University.
“This is a new and exciting opportunity. I’m looking forward to taking it,” Hugine said. He said the Huntsville, Ala. institution has tremendous potential.
The AAMU board voted 8-1 Thursday evening to hire Hugine. He beat out Dr. Rodney Smith of Hampton University and Dr. Lawrence Davenport, a finalist for the S.C. State presidency last year.
Hugine says he approaches his new job with mixed feelings.
He lamented that he’ll have to leave Orangeburg, where many of his family and friends live. Orangeburg is also the home of his alma mater, S.C. State.
“It’s a major move for my family,” he said.
Hugine said there is no timetable for him to assume the AAMU presidency.
“I would like to expedite this,” Hugine said.
Hugine will replace Dr. Robert Jennings, who was fired over a year ago by the AAMU board.
AAMU spokesman Jerome Saintjones said Hugine has been well received by faculty.
“I think one major thing that the university community is looking for is stability. Dr. Hugine will bring that stability,” he said.
Saintjones also touted Hugine’s 30 years of higher education experience.
Hugine was first named a finalist for the position in January.
Some AAMU trustees favored Davenport, while others thought the search process was skewed toward him.
After being named a finalist, Davenport briefly took a job leading a Rhode Island charter school. Saintjones noted the board questioned Davenport about that Thursday.
The AAMU faculty was also vocally opposed to Davenport, he said.
There were also problems with the board reaching a quorum. Saintjones said some trustees missed meetings just so Davenport couldn’t get selected.
In addition, the Alabama legislature rejected four trustees appointed by Gov. Bob Riley. Riley picked four new trustees last week, giving the board enough members to take a vote.
Saintjones said Thursday’s board meeting was the first one in a year.
Hugine was named S.C. State president in 2003. The S.C. State board fired him in December 2007.
Last July, Hugine sued S.C. State and the seven trustees who voted to remove him. The lawsuit is pending.
T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.
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