Marginalizing The Messenger While Muting The Message: It’s The Shaw ‘U’ Way!

“Shooting the messenger” is a metaphoric phrase used to describe the act of lashing out at the (blameless) bearer of bad news.

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH US? What is it about those of you who get SO ANGRY about a group of people who actually have the COURAGE to speak out against injustice that gets folk so flipping mad? Do we simply not want to be reminded of the actual problem(s)? Or do we cynically believe that there has to be a secret motive behind their movement?

Rather than listening, reflecting, questioning, analyzing, debating, and forming our own opinions, we guess it’s much easier to characterize the messenger.

There have been countless attempts to uncover who the “FRIENDS OF SHAW” actually are. “Who owns that site?” “Who’s writing the stories?” “Who ARE the culprits?” “How DARE they publicly air Shaw’s dirty laundry!”

One particular alum contacted us via Twitter and actually blamed “THE FRIENDS” for Shaw’s “issues”. She was adamant about blaming us for “causing major problems”. She didn’t blame Shaw…but blamed “us”.

Then, soon after these discussions take place, everything negative regarding Shaw University is blamed on “THE FRIENDS”. This tactic – call it a stereotype, if you will – serves no other purpose than to create a narrative for conflict and opposition.

Let the record show, that just like the Occupy Wall Street Movement, we are a nameless, faceless group who are working to find a common voice in one clear, unified demand to help better OUR university.

Once the sides have been defined and the caricatures drawn, those on the other side of the fence (administration, the BOT, etc) can sit back and watch the insults fly. The more outrageous we seem, the more outrageous the opponent can be portrayed. Soon, you have everyone so outraged by the audacity and unmitigated nerve of either stereotype that the message is lost entirely. The science of it all is actually quite amazing. With the messenger marginalized, the message magically becomes muted.

Oh yeah, what was it we were talking about? Oh yeah…those disgruntled “Shaw Folk”. DON’T YOU LET NOBODY SAY NOTHIN’ BAD ABOUT YO’ SCHOOL!

Moving right along…

Apparently, the “more mature” members of the Shaw community were absolutely outraged about the “Shaw U Chicken Fight” video that went viral yesterday. “THE FRIENDS” on the other hand were not surprised OR upset at all. Why? Because Shaw’s problems are bigger than chicken. We also know that a week from now, everyone will completely forget about that whole debacle. But the REAL ISSUES at Shaw will continue to get worse and worse.

~ It’s not about chicken or young women fighting over who gets to eat it first.

~ It’s not about the student who videotaped the fight OR the student who decided to send the video to a wildly popular website.

~ It’s not about McClaurin or the 3 temporary presidents who preceded her.

~ It’s not about “THE FRIENDS OF SHAW” or who people think “THE FRIENDS” actually are or self definitions of what “FRIENDSHIP” is.

~ It’s not about what we publish, when or why we publish these stories.

There are some serious, serious problems at Shaw University that lie within the individuals who are at the helm. If you are a student, if you work at Shaw, if you graduated from Shaw or attended Shaw for 5 minutes, you KNOW about the issues. It does not take this website or any other website to put it on blast. Let’s keep it real. And with everything that we have published – we have refrained from publishing the REAL DIRT. Be careful about where you place blame.

As long as we can neatly separate the messenger from the message, we can identify with a side and never stop to consider the real issues at Shaw. Folk are creating a battle against messengers instead of opening a dialogue on why there is no real growth at our university despite everyone growing around us.

We’re jousting against straw men instead of analyzing the long-term implications of the absence of a public relations/communications department.

We’re sitting at the table coloring caricatures instead of having an adult discussion on raising revenues and cutting expenditures to provide the level of quality education necessary for Shaw grads to remain relevant in this very crowded yet competitive collegiate marketplace.

We’re resorting to saying things like, “Just pray about it” and “The Lord is gonna take care of it. Shaw aint going nowhere” when we ALL know that faith without works is D-E-A-D.

So what if you don’t agree with the method in which we have chosen to create awareness. The first step toward recovery is admitting that there is a problem. If we can’t sit down together and admit where the problem lies, we’ll never be able to devise a solution.

Contact us by CLICKING HERE if you would like share ideas on how to fix these issues. Do it before it’s too late.

Minister Farrakhan Speaks To Shaw University

The Minister wants us to WAKE UP! But will we?

#ShawU and Fried Chicken

The above image was sent to the FRIENDS OF SHAW several weeks ago. A student was extremely upset that when he bit into his lunch, this is what he saw. We encouraged him to make a formal complaint. He told the supervisor of Thompson Hospitality, and his complaint went unaddressed. Then a complaint was sent to administration – and again, concerns went unanswered.

The GuideStar report lists one of Shaw’s largest contractors in 2004 as the Aramark Corporation who provided Food Services to Shaw at a yearly cost of $1,560,883. Today, with fewer students who offset inflationary trends, Thompson Hospitality (the current food services provider) commands over 2 million dollars per year for food services. Furthermore, outsourcing has plummeted Shaw’s personnel budget to around 30% while our infrastructure totters at the precipice.

But this isn’t what this article is about.

Today, #ShawU was the talk of the town internet. Not because of anything of any significant news about multi-million dollar grants or major development news concering the reopening of the student union- – but because of two female students who got into a fist fight on “Fried Chicken Wednesday” while waiting on line in the makeshift cafeteria. The following video was submitted to the ever popular website, WORLD STAR HIP HOP and was viewed over 135,000 times.

This video is being shared via twitter and facebook and has gone viral in a matter of seconds. Once again, THE WORLD is looking at Shaw University in a negative light.

Here are some of the comments we observed:

“so… we fight over who was in line first in the chicken line now?!?” -LuvLee Jonie

‘this is exactly how blacks end up killing each other when stuff like this escalates unnecessarily.” -johnnyboytellem

“it doesn’t make any sense that COLLEGE students are acting like this. and over some damn chicken? smh ” -SimplyComplex_87

As administration (AND ALUMNI) continues to turn a blind eye to the power of the internet, Shaw will continue to crumble.

At this point, it is important to realize that the future of Shaw University is TRULY in the hands of its alumni. Apparently, no one else cares about her future.

EDITED TO ADD: When we submitted this blog, the “Shaw U Chicken Fight” had 135,000 views. 2 hours later, the video now has over 166,000 views. Don’t think the internet is powerful? Think again. Bull$hit can travel faster than the speed of light. When will we be ready to take our school back?

4:20PM (EST) – 192,000 views

4:59PM (EST) – 200,000 views

6:28PM (EST) -215,000 views

11/9/11 -9:56AM (EST) – 293,000 views

11/9/11-8PM (EST) -331,000 views (video has been added to a popular radio station website in Greensboro, NC)

Martin Luther King Jr. & Silence

Although this article is a few months old, the message is timely. Please read and then act.

As we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., I am reminded of one aspect of him that is most compelling to me. Over and over, King warned us to refrain from keeping silent—to speak up when we encounter injustice. One of his most profound statements was: “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” King reminded us that we cannot merely sit back and watch injustice; we need to speak out and consciously push back against it.

All too often we complain about injustice and prejudice; we watch as the rights, history, and culture of others are trampled on or erased (take a look around, it’s happening now). Yet we say nothing and we do nothing. Sometimes, we refrain from speaking out because we assume that “speaking out” means protesting with signs or acts of civil disobedience. Speaking out can manifest in this way, but it can also happen through writing, through the way you live your life (being consistent in your values and actions), and by pointing out injustice in every day situations when you see it.

Writing about the civil-rights era, King said, “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” I can’t help but think that his words are applicable today in our current political climate—a climate in which civility has been replaced by anger, hate, and atrocious deeds. In order to change the tone of the rhetoric of hate, we must speak up. We must stand up against injustice and for those who are being treated unjustly.

King urged us to feel passionate about freedom and justice, even calling upon us to give our life for what we believe in—much like he did. He said, “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.” Whether he met this in actuality does not matter to me. What he was saying is that when we feel strongly, we must act in the ways that we know how. We must use our strengths as individuals to make society better and we must act as the conscience of our nation.

Whenever I feel strongly about an issue but fear the idea of speaking out, I think of the words of King. He said “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” These are simple words, but they are wonderfully profound in their message to all of us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Gasman is an historian of higher education. Her work explores issues pertaining to philanthropy and historically black colleges, black leadership, contemporary fundraising issues at black colleges, and African-American giving. Dr. Gasman’s most recent book is Envisioning Black Colleges: A History of the United Negro College Fund (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007). She has also written (with Patrick J. Gilpin) Charles S. Johnson: Leadership beyond the Veil in the Age of Jim Crow (SUNY Press, 2003), (with Sibby Anderson-Thompkins) Supporting Alma Mater: Successful Strategies for Securing Funds from Black College Alumni (CASE Books, 2003), and (with Katherine Sedgwick) Uplifting a People: African American Philanthropy and Education (Peter Lang, 2005).Marybeth Gasman is currently a professor of higher education in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania.

What Will We Do When We Have No Home To Come Home To?

We cannot promise you this blog will be short, but we can promise you it will be painful.

If Shaw U was a social network within itself, “HOMECOMING 2011″ would be the trending topic.

Homecoming is undoubtedly, one of the cornerstones of the historically black college experience; and this year, the Shaw Universe is so excited until they can hardly contain themselves. Every year, we gather to watch the talented football team and Platinum Sound Marching Band, the stepshow, money hungry promoters fight each other for partygoers for the “OFFICIAL” homecoming party and we all nearly burst with excitement, seeing classmates that we haven’t seen in several years. It is absolutely wonderful to be excited about the upcoming festivities and we certainly don’t want to piss on the Shaw U parade – but we can’t help but to ask ourselves the following question:

WHAT WILL WE DO WHEN THERE’S NO HOME TO COME HOME TO?

We’re not saying that we all don’t deserve a break once a year to have a good time – but we see a lot of grave dangers that are not being addressed, and we see no real or true initiatives & reformation to the Shaw University structure nor conditions on campus. We don’t see a strategic plan to make Shaw University the quality institution of higher learning that it once was. We don’t see a caring, TRUSTworthy board of TRUSTees nor do we see a sincere initiative from them or committee heads to encourage alumni and students to bond or unite under an umbrella of what should be the students sword and armor. We don’t see any effort to maximize Shaw University’s role and stature in the hearts and souls of the students and university establishment as a whole. We don’t see any efforts being made to restore its heavily damaged reputation nor do we see the desire to strengthen communications. We find ourselves continuously asking why Shaw chooses not emphasize academic excellence or sustainability efforts? Why not recognize some of the outstanding faculty and students or notable alumni who are achieving their goals and doing well in their respective communities?

The problems that we have witnessed at Shaw have been in existence for a while now and to be honest, we don’t like what we are witnessing. This is not what our ancestors fought for, got expelled for, and sacrificed their future for. Our ancestors fought and died for a dream that we see now shattering in front of our very eyes.

With the absence of promising new leadership that once filled the university with hope and gave students a voice, chaos has struck in a way that it has never struck before. It has turned from an establishment with one unified goal and a plan, into a chaotic gathering of different individuals disconnected from the Shaw U main theme, each running their own shows that are not part of original agendas that were once promised, nor the main goals which we once fought and sacrificed for, fighting the managerial establishment and even the board itself.

Sadly, we are failing to unite, which is the main objective of creating the Friends of Shaw. Statements from hate are being hurled by fellow alumni (and others) without real consultation or open discussion about the issues at hand. We are large in number yet most are completely silent. Alumni aren’t willing to become a part of the National Alumni Association nor are they actively getting involved. Significant issues (IE: tornado fundraising efforts, the Gary Insurance debacle or Dr. Irma McClaurin’s abrupt departure) are appearing and disappearing without a discussion or an evaluation process.

To those who hold Shaw near and dear to your heart, you must realize that you are responsible for the future of Shaw. You are responsible for guarding and maximizing the Shaw U establishment for the sake of our children and our children’s children. This responsibility should not be taken lightly nor approached as yet another half assed fight, as this responsibility you will be questioned about and you will be judged.

We must step up now, and put own head in the game. It’s not about the north versus the south or the young versus the old. It’s about ALL OF US uniting under one common goal that symbolizes a higher goal for Shaw.

As you frolic to and fro’ throughout Raleigh this weekend, we encourage you to take a moment to simply pay attention to your surroundings. This is what you will see:

Downtown Raleigh is (and has been) going through a MAJOR transformation. Within a few years, Downtown will look like this:

If you believe for one moment that the revitalization of downtown Raleigh will continue while Shaw’s crumbling infrastructure remains to be an eyesore of the community but ‘WE gon’ be aiight’ and that life will simply “GO ON” at Shaw, think again.

You may return to your regularly scheduled homecoming celebration activities while wearing blinders – or we can attempt to unite once and for all while we have the chance. Homecoming is really going to suck if we have no home to come home to.

The annual NAA general body meeting will be held this Friday @ 2PM in the chapel. Will you be there?

Shaw University Homecoming Brunch Cancelled – Bad Timing or Running Scared?

Every year during Shaw’s homecoming, a gathering of nearly a thousand Shaw University alumni, friends and supporters come together for a full blown pre-game celebration complete with live music, great food and fellowship during the annual Willie Gary and Lorenzo Williams Shaw University Homecoming Brunch.

Shaw Bears look forward to taking pictures next to a life-sized cutout of Shaw’s homegrown superstar Chairman Gary, the viewing of the” Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous” flavored video presentation highlighting Willie’s success story (which we all know the script by heart) and a high spirited musical rendition of Ben E. King famed hit, “Stand By Me Shaw” with Gary singing lead vocals. This huge shindig has traditionally been on Willie Gary’s dime.

This year, those of us on the Shaw Alumni mailing list were informed of the following:

Homecoming was moved to early October this year due to a ill-fated decision by Shaw’s embattled former President, Dr. Irma McClaurin because of her THREE DAY, $300,000 inauguration had been planned for late October; and she did not want HER spotlight to compete or interfere with Shaw’s 146 year tradition. This was a decision that was made in early January, 2011; and yet every single meeting space in the entire city of Raleigh is “allegedly” unavailable for brunch this Saturday.

While Gary blames “bad timing” on the cancellation of the annual Homecoming Brunch, many people are more compelled to believe that Gary may be running scared. With so many unanswered questions regarding Shaw’s insurance policy and its longtime holder, “Gary Financial“, Willie may have simply made the decision to make himself “unavailable” this year.

Take a moment to read the following summary which was anonymously mailed to various Alumni Chapter Presidents across the country regarding Gary’s Conflict Of Interest:

Also read: WEBSITE OWNED BY GARY FINANCIAL SUDDENLY DISAPPEARS FROM CYBERSPACE

The Forgotten Four – Shaw University Faculty STILL Await Due Process

And they still wait…

Hundreds of people have expressed concern for the four faculty members who were recently dismissed from Shaw University without due process. Although many questions have been asked – we have no answers.

An initial letter of inquiry from the American Association of University Professor was sent to the University in early July and Dr. Irma McClaurin neglected to provide a response. Then in late August, immediately following Dr. McClaurin’s abrupt departure, AAUP sent a letter addressed to Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy; Shaw’s interim President. Yet, no response has been provided. Click HERE to read the most recent letter.

Here is a brief timeline describing the events that occurred after the dismissal of the four professors.
March 11, 2011 Four professors notified of non-renewal of full-time faculty appointment

April 4, 2011 The Faculty Senate issues a “Manifesto” expressing concerns about the “climate of disrespect and summary firings of faculty”.

April, 2011 Hundreds of Shaw students petition for the return to the four faculty

April, 2011 All four professors appeal their non-renewal to Chairman Gary. No response is provided to any of the dismissed.

April, 2011 Faculty, alumni and students picket Shaw University for one week before tornado strikes and closes campus

May, 2011 Two of the dismissed faculty file (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) EEOC complaints

May 5, 2011 President McClaurin admits “process is flawed” and announces mediation

May 7, 2011 Shaw’s graduation is picketed by protesters demanding fair treatment of employees

May 13, 2011 Faculty Senate President sends letter to President McClaurin opposing a biased mediation committee member and the mediation process

June, 2011 Mediation Committee picks two mediators, but McClaurin selects only one (Attorney Kathryn Bender, University Counsel for UNC-CH)

July 5, 2011 Four dismissed faculty notified of individual mediation and informed that benefits will be extended until July 31, 2011

July 8, 2011 The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) sends a letter to Dr. McClaurin about lack of academic due process for four professors. Dr. McClaurin never responds.

July 11, 2011 The four dismissed send a letter to Atty. Bender, Mediator, expressing concerns about not being informed about details of the mediation process

July, 2011 All four mediations end with no settlement or return to employment of the four dismissed faculty

August 2, 2011 Dismissed faculty received letter from Dr. McClaurin about end of employment

August 18, 2011 The Chronicle of Higher Education writes article concerning the “outsize role” of Chairman of the Board, Willie E. Gary. Various other articles about the dismissed appear in local publications, such as Raleigh News & Observer, Triange Tribune, Carolinian, and on TV stations

August 26, 2011 AAUP send letter to incoming President Yancy reiterating concerns about violations of academic freedom and due process.

To the dismissed faculty…we haven’t forgotten you. Please don’t stop fighting for what is right.

The Monster Behind The Wall – Shaw University’s REAL Problem [EDITORIAL]

“At first glance, I couldn’t figure out WHAT this was…but I knew I was scared.”

When I walked into one of the restrooms inside HISTORIC Estey Hall and saw the above image, it scared the beejeezus out of me. I literally thought that a monster was going to come through that ceiling and eat me alive. Combine that fear with a feeling of instant nausea from the putrid smell in the air; I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to run or pass out. In all seriousness, it took me a few minutes to realize that in actuality, I wasn’t about to confront a monster but I was looking at the result of one of the most horrible cases of mold I had ever seen.

By all means, this massive mold growth couldn’t have been created in a day or even a few weeks. This was a hot mess that would have had to begin a long time ago. My initial reaction was one of anger. How could ANYONE allow this issue go on for SO LONG? My next reaction was one of confusion. With all of the employees in this building who have probably used this restroom hundreds of times, why didn’t anyone report this issue to plant services? When the problem is right before your very eyes, how could you stick your head in the sand? This is was the ultimate case of gross neglect.

This type of disdain/disrespect for MY history really makes my blood boil. Estey Hall is the oldest surviving building at Shaw, which is the oldest historically black college in the South and was the first institution of higher learning established for freedmen after the Civil War. It was the first building constructed for the higher education of black women in the nation, if not the world. Shaw students attended classes inside of Estey Hall until 1970. Deterioration had taken a toll on the building, forcing its closure after 97 years of service. Plans were made to tear down the building. The Estey Hall Foundation was then founded to halt demolition and restore the building to its original appearance. So long story (somewhat) short, given the history of Estey Hall, she should be treated with extreme care. Her historic significance is invaluable.

And so, I took a deep breath and walked into the office of one of the “big bosses”. I made a conscious effort not to wear my emotions on my sleeve. I calmly informed her that there was a huge moldy ceiling tile in the restroom and that the problem should probably be repaired right away.

Although it took a few weeks, I was relieved to know that my complaint did not fall upon deaf ears. The problem appeared to be fixed….

UNTIL I NOTICED THE FOLLOWING:

Apparently, whoever was charged with the responsibility of fixing the problem, didn’t fix it at all. He/she simply removed the moldy tile without giving any thought to actually making any real repair. They tried to shut me up appease me by camouflaging the leak with another ceiling tile when in actuality, the REAL problem lies behind the wall. Within a few weeks, I am confident that the mold will be back. Not only that, but without a thorough examination of where the leak originated from – it’s a possibility that the mold has spread like a cancer into other areas not visible to the eye.

Ironically, this has been the mentality at Shaw University for decades. I’m sure we can all agree that Shaw has had its share of problems over the past few decades; but few are willing to admit what the REAL problem is. It is easy to assess what the issues are by simply “glancing” as the issues from the outside – but if we (as alumni) don’t take a closer look at what the real problem is, it will be detrimental. Presidents come and go – but a few key members of the board of trustees remain the same and this is where the true problem is.

An effective board looks at the big picture. It is alert to signs of trouble before a crisis erupts.

A good board has a keen sense of priorities. It works from an agenda so that it does not waste time on frivolous issues. It encourages planning and the use of planning tools, freely endorsing time and money spent on anticipating future problems and preparing for them.

A caring board provides growth opportunities for the faculty, staff & students. Staff stability is crucial and the best way to achieve that is by providing employees with the means to develop professionally and personally. Good personnel policies should constantly evolve.

An efficient board values teamwork. The board elects members that have skills in legal matters, accounting principles, and programmatic areas, and then fosters teamwork among them. The goal is to achieve the organization’s objectives by utilizing board intelligence through teamwork.

An outstanding board constantly evaluates itself and keeps improving. It reviews the organization’s mission annually and re-energizes itself through retreats and other activities. It invites outside expertise and educates itself in best practices.

The ineffective board problem is just like the plumbing/mold/leak problem at Estey Hall. The longer we ignore the problem, the worse the potential outcome. It has to be fixed immediately. If we don’t take heed, not only will it be expensive to repair but the constant dripping of information (water) will make things weak and will eventually the entire foundation will fall through.

Always remember, if nothing changes…nothing changes.

Shaw University’s Best Kept Secret . . .

William Spann would rather I not mention his name in this column about life at the Shaw University Alumni House Complex, known by most of us as Shaw Farm.

He’s already enjoyed his share of the limelight, assures Spann, a Shaw Hall of Fame alumnus who, after a stint in the U.S. Army, returned to the school – and his football scholarship – to graduate in 1956. He later returned to Shaw to teach, coach and lead the Bears’ athletic department.

“I’m not interested in highlighting me,” insists Spann, 85, as we settle in at his Shaw Farm office.

Still, I told him, I want to follow up on a conversation with my neighbor and community environmentalist, Norman Camp, about Spann’s leadership to revive Shaw Farm; about the life he’s since breathed into the rustic white house that sits on 40 acres and a pond at 2901 Rock Quarry Road; about how he’s maintained its historic character in an area that is quickly transforming into a hotbed of development.

And how – despite health setbacks of his own – he’s kept it moving, busy with quiet energy and the activity of alumni gatherings, community events and a weekly breakfast of alumni and neighbors, with connections either to Shaw or to each other.

“We just shoot the breeze and talk about affairs of the neighborhood and what to do about them,” said Camp, a breakfast regular who learned and taught with Spann at Shaw.

Now, amid the morning chatter about things such as local politics, education, spirituality and business development, there’s new focus on constructing a community walking trail at Shaw Farm. Camp and others leading the effort envision a “nice community feature,” an oval, half-mile trail that leads to the pond.

“That gives me as much satisfaction as when I earned my terminal degrees, to see men and women in the community come together, the camaraderie, the diversity, the dialogue, the conversation,” Spann gushed, applauding the volunteer spirit that fuels his passion. “It’s really a very satisfactory feeling, more so than money.”

Shaw acquired Shaw Farm around 1963 under the leadership of James E. Cheek, a Shaw alumnus who had returned as its seventh president and lived in the house until he left in 1968 to lead Howard University. Cheek’s brother, King Cheek, then took over Shaw’s presidency and Shaw Farm residency until 1972, Spann said, describing the home as “an elaborate showcase” with white carpeting befitting the Shaw president, “an icon in Southeast Raleigh.”

Residency of university officials continued at Shaw Farm until the mid-’80s.

“After that, the place went down, down, down,” Spann said. It became storage for Shaw, a dump for community trash, an unofficial homeless shelter and home to a man raising three liberated pit bulls.

In 2004, when Spann was Shaw’s AD and chairman of the Department of Allied Health Professions, he joined a group of alumni meeting during homecoming to plan a golf tournament – on the steps of Estey Hall.

“Where else?” one of the men replied when Spann questioned the meeting spot.

“That really made an impact on me: Here we are significant and important people, graduates of Shaw University, who return to campus with our contributions, but we have nowhere to meet and relax,” Spann said.

Spann formed a group of supporters and went to then-President Clarence G. Newsome with a proposal to reinvent Shaw Farm as a gathering place for alumni and friends.

“That’s a swell idea, but I can’t help you,” Spann recalls Newsome saying. Spann, understanding budget constraints, sought only permission.

“We rolled up our sleeves and came out here, working from early morning until late dawn,” he said of 11 volunteers of alumni, community friends and athletic boosters.

The group replaced the roof, painted the house, removed trash and other remnants, refurbished the barn that now houses Shaw records and cleaned everything, including “dog mess.”

“We had several members quit,” Spann said, “but the six of us…we kept on working, kept on working.”

Alumnus Horace Graham worked and now enjoys what Shaw Farm offers alumni and the community.

“It’s a source of pride for Shaw University,” Graham said. “It’s a meeting place in a central location, so now we can say, ‘Meet me at The Farm.’ ”

SOURCE: Written By Lori Wiggins

Website Owned By “Gary Financial” Suddenly Disappears From Cyberspace

EDITED TO ADD: THE WEBSITE FOR GARY FINANCIAL HAS RESURFACED SINCE PUBLISHING THIS STORY

CONFLICT OF INTEREST – A conflict of interest (COI) occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other.

Apparently, Willie Gary’s version of the Webster’s Dictionary is slightly different than the rest of us.

Behind closed doors throughout recent years, Willie Gary, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Shaw University has been under scrutiny for questionable dealings with his brother’s insurance company, “Gary Financial” and Shaw University. Gary has been questioned about this obvious conflict of interest by alumni, alumni chapter presidents as well as other members of the board for several years. Concerns from alumni regarding this obvious conflict of interest was quietly swept under the rug last year when the National Alumni Association called for Gary’s resignation. A portion of this letter addressed to the Board of Trustees read:

“We have serious concerns regarding conflict of interest, fiduciary responsibilities, adverse interest and commitment.”

Then on April 16, 2011 – after a tornado swept through campus causing significant damage to various buildings, what was once a moot issue, again became a serious concern as many external constituents (once again) had many questions regarding Shaw’s 254 million dollar insurance policy and its policy holder.

Willie Gary and Shaw’s embattled former President, Irma McClaurin appeared on various media outlets, insisting that Shaw’s insurance “would not be enough to cover Shaw’s damages”.

It has been nearly 5 months since the tornado, and Shaw University has not released one single CONSISTENT statement regarding a specific dollar amount regarding damage. One report claimed that Shaw had 3 million dollars worth of damage while another WRAL news report claimed as much as 30 million dollars. The university has also opted not to update the public (specifically alumni) on ANY PROGRESS with regards to its fundraising efforts. Will they ever clarify their fundraising goals? Exactly how much money has been raised thus far? How have the funds been used thus far? Has Gary Financial covered ANY of the tornado damage? If not, why not? How much money is Shaw seeking from donors? What is the strategic plan?

It is baffling that an institution that has had such a horrible reputation for integrity still chooses to operate in the dark. The real tragedy isn’t Gary’s questionable dealings – but for a group of people to bury their heads in the sand when an outright conflict of interest is taking place. When will the madness cease?

Here are a few excerpt from various news publications regarding Willie Gary’s brother’s insurance company:

The Wilmington Journal

Freddie Gary, who owns an insurance agency in Florida that has been doing business with the university for years.

“He has saved Shaw University thousands, and hundreds of thousands of dollars. And if you check his giving, he has given back the money he’s made in premiums in record numbers,” Gary insisted.

“A conflict of interest means you failed to disclose something,” the chairman continued. “My brother has been writing that insurance now for ten or fifteen years. He’s been giving to Shaw for ten or fifteen years. He’s been saving Shaw money for ten or fifteen years.”

“How are you going to have a conflict of interest with someone who is saving the university tons of dollars?” Gary continued. “Are you saying that because he is a black man that he shouldn’t be doing business with Shaw University?”

The Chronicle

His business dealings have also been questioned. The campus’s insurance policy, for instance, is taken out with Gary Insurance Agency & Associates, a company whose chief executive, Freddie L. Gary Sr., is Mr. Gary’s brother.

“In my time on the board, that was never raised as a problem,” says Mr. Adams, who resigned from the board in July because, he says, he felt the board was not acting ethically in its financial dealings, including the insurance deal. “It’s an incredible conflict of interest.”

Mr. Gary says that he has always been open about his connection to the insurance agency and that it was chosen simply because it provided the best rate.

“Let me be clear: If you have business dealings with family, you must disclose it so it can be reviewed,” he says. “I did that, and he is saving this school money.”

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