Morris Brown College was dormant for many years, until Kevin E. James took over as president and set about an ambitious plan to restore the school as valued and important part of Atlanta, Georgia’s famed University Center.
That plan was abruptly halted Monday afternoon as James announced on his Facebook profile that he was fired by the school’s board of trustees, an action he says is without cause.
“This action is deeply concerning. Research and my lived experience demonstrate that many HBCUs have struggled with board overreach and interference. Unfortunately, those dynamics are evident in this situation,” James wrote. “The timing of this decision is particularly troubling, as the institution is approaching its accreditation reaffirmation review in a few weeks.”
James continued, “Equally concerning is that this action disregards established governance best practices and my existing presidential contract, which extends through 2029. I fully intend to pursue all rights and remedies afforded to me under that agreement.”
James cites several achievements during his tenure at MBC, including a restoration of the school’s accreditation and access to federal financial aid, increasing the student body from 20 students to over 540, as well as “achieving clean financial audits for seven consecutive years.”
Morris Brown released a statement, saying that “The Board extends its deep gratitude to Dr. Kevin James for his years of service and leadership at Morris Brown College. Dr. James has played a meaningful role in guiding the institution through critical seasons of growth, resilience and transformation.
The school announced that trustee Nzinga Shaw will serve as interim president. Shaw holds a bachelor’s degree from Spelman and a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
