White Man Chosen Over Three Black Candidates as President of University of Wisconsin-Parkside Resigns Amid Criminal Investigation
Last month JBHE reported that the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha had chosen Robert D. Felner as its new president. Felner had been one of four finalists for the presidency of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The other three finalists were African Americans. Felner has been serving as dean of the College of Education at the University of Louisville.
Now Felner has announced he will not accept the position. The resignation came on the heels of an announcement that the College of Education at the University of Louisville is under criminal investigation for mishandling a $500,000 federal grant.
It is not known at this time whether the University of Wisconsin-Parkside will turn to one of the three black finalists or conduct a new search for a president. The three African Americans who were being considered for the post are:
• Maurice C. Taylor, dean of the school of graduate studies at Morgan State University;
• T.J. Bryan, a professor of English and former chancellor of Fayetteville State University in North Carolina; and
• Gloria J. Gibson, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
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