Fisk University president resigns

Fisk University announced on Monday its president of less than three years, H. James Williams, had resigned just as the university was set to begin the yearlong celebration of its 150th anniversary.

Williams led Fisk as it regained its regional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and boosted enrollment by 40 percent to more than 850 students. He had initially hoped to accommodate that growth through the construction of a new residence hall this year, but the university's board of trustees delayed those plans.

Board Chairwoman Barbara Landers Bowles said Williams' decision to leave was "more or less mutual."

"We had some differences of opinion, and the board wanted to move in a different direction in some areas," Bowles said.

Bowles did not want to discuss specifics, but she said the disagreements had gone on "for quite some time." While she said she was disappointed to see a president leave after such a short tenure, she acknowledged Williams had made a positive impact on the university.

"We felt that he accomplished a lot," she said. "I think we both left in good spirits."

University spokeswoman Edwina E. Harris Hamby said Williams confirmed his decision to leave last week. The university said in a statement that Williams is leaving to pursue other opportunities in higher education. Board member Frank L. Sims will serve as interim president, the university announced.

Fisk inaugurates president after year of growth

Williams, who holds business, accounting and law degrees, came to Fisk in February 2013. He previously served as dean of the business school at Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

Hamby said she was not concerned that Williams' abrupt resignation would distract from the long-awaited sesquicentennial celebrations, which will begin next month.

“We have weathered many situations in the university's history, and we’re just opening up a new chapter," she said. "The sesquicentennial is the perfect kind of doorway" to begin that chapter.

Alums, students react

On social media, many Fisk alumni greeted the news of Williams' resignation with frustration. The embattled university has struggled in recent years to find an enduring president.

Crystal deGregory, a 2003 Fisk graduate and advocate for historically black colleges and universities, acknowledged that the resignation was "an unexpected announcement." But she said most alums were ready to look forward, and she understood others' concerns.

"Of course, ideally, we would have great presidents with long terms and enduring legacies," she said by telephone. "It's been challenging in at least the last two decades.

"That obviously leaves us wanting."

Administrators informed students of Williams' resignation during meetings Monday on campus.

In an interview with The Tennessean, junior Brianna Acklin said she felt Williams had done a good job, although she added that there was still work to do to accommodate a growing student body.

"He was brought in to get us back on track financially," Acklin said. "I feel like he did that."

Hamby later told The Tennessean reporter who interviewed Acklin that the media needed permission to talk with students on campus. Hamby then identified students who had been to the meeting for the reporter to interview, including senior Shadoris Hamilton.

Hamilton said she had seen Williams eating breakfast with students in the cafeteria. She said Williams and his wife seemed passionate and dedicated to the university's mission.

"They’re very lovely people, always smiling, always talking and always trying to get things moving," Hamilton said. "They were trying to get things done for the campus and the students."

Board names an interim

Sims, a three-year member of the Fisk board, will serve as interim president until a permanent replacement is named.

Sims worked for 36 years at Cargill Inc., serving as president of the company’s North American grain division and as a corporate vice president, according to a university statement. He serves on the Board of South Jersey Industries and has served in many other leadership roles in the past, including a stint as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

Sims earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration at Paul Quinn College in Dallas.

"We felt fortunate that we have someone in our midst who could step in and do an excellent job in the interim," said Bowles, the board chairwoman. "We think we're making a step that hopefully over time, at least over the next year, will be right for Fisk."

Bowles said that, moving forward, Fisk probably would work to accommodate its growing enrollment by renovating existing campus buildings while beefing up fundraising efforts. She said the university was in sturdy financial standing after the recent multimillion-dollar deal to share the university's celebrated Alfred Stieglitz Collection with the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas.

"We have had some stumbles, don't get me wrong, but I think that in general we are in very good shape," Bowles said. "We're on the cusp of an exciting year."

Reporter Jen Todd contributed to this report. Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @tamburintweets.