From Concerned Citizen 101:
Well
it’s been awhile since I’ve posted about UNA. Not because things
have gotten better because believe me they HAVE NOT. I have waited
because I like to verify the information before I write something.
This will jump around a bit but hold on to your seats you will not
believe the magnitude of pure foolishness that is still going on at
the University of North Alabama.
If
you remember in my last post
(http://shoalandaspeaks.blogspot.com/2017/11/return-to-una-hijinks.html)
I told you that Ms. Audrey Mitchell was forced out of her position by
Kimberly Greenway, Catherine White and President Kenneth Kitts. (See
link above) Well I thought that maybe Ms. Mitchell’s new Vice
President Mr. Evan Thornton (VP for Business & Financial Affairs)
would at least be a good person so that she could finally have some
peace. Well I spoke to several employees and people affiliated with
UNA and it appears that Mr. Thornton is just as questionable and
shady as the rest of the Administration. Heck, I guess that’s why
Kitts chose him to replace Mr. Clinton Carter. But I’ll let you
make your on conclusions based on the facts.
So
it appears that Mr. Thornton was originally hired by Mr. Clinton
Carter as Controller in the Business and Financial Affairs Office.
I’m told that when he first got there he was very nice and helpful
to everyone. When Mr. Carter abruptly left in the summer of 2016
(some say he was terminated by Kitts and escorted off campus) Mr.
Evan Thornton (white male) was promoted to interim Vice President.
While working in the interim position he worked very closely and
depended very heavily on Melissa Williams (black female) to help
carry the load of Controller duties such as audits, Board of Trustee
reports and all the financials at UNA. During this time, Mr. Thornton
even promoted Ms. Williams to Assistant Controller. I’m told Evan
often bragged on her in many settings saying Ms. Williams was his
right hand and he couldn’t do any of this without her. This went on
for about a year.
Finally
the Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs position was
advertised and Mr. Evan Thornton applied, went through the interview
process and received the job. Now that Evan got what he
wanted...here’s where the mask comes off and the true colors of
Evan Thornton are revealed. I’m told that he did some relocation of
people and soon after he got his permanent position he promoted Cindy
Conlon (white female) (Remember that name. You should she’s named
in the Mitchell v UNA lawsuit) from Assistant Vice President of
Procurement to Associate Vice President for Business and Financial
Affairs. Here’s the problem. I’m told that Cindy Conlon doesn’t
know anything about accounting, financials and couldn’t begin to do
anything to help with audits or board reports. But she’s paid very
well to supervise the controller and assistant controller
positions.
Now
that Evan Thornton was officially the new VP his old position of
Controller needed to be filled. You would think if Ms. Melissa
Williams had stepped up when needed and had been doing the duties of
Controller along side Evan Thornton for a year he would promote
internally and reward Ms. Williams for helping him in his time of
need. Well of course not. It appears that UNA doesn’t reward
too many minorities. Heck, he promoted her white counterpart (Cindy
Conlon) and she wasn’t in the least bit qualified. I’m told Cindy
Conlon’s new position wasn’t advertised externally either. They
do for who they want to do for. Well I digress.
So
the Controller position is advertised externally and Ms. Williams
applies. I’m told that she was selected to receive a phone
interview but was not “good enough” to receive an on campus
interview. Now comes the suspicious part. I’m told the search
committee consisted of Cindy Conlon and everyone’s favorite HR
person Catherine White. (Now I know you remember that name. She’s
now named in multiple lawsuits and EEOC complaints.) There were other
members on the committee but I’m told not one person on the
committee had direct knowledge and hands on experience of what a
Controller actually does. How did Mr. Evan Thornton approve such a
committee? Sound like a sham committee?? Look like funny business
going on??? Well because it is.
I’m
told the person who was eventually chosen for the position Mr. Mike
Nelson doesn’t even have a Masters degree and has never worked
in/with Higher Education financials. I’m told Mr. Nelson doesn’t
know any of the accounting/financial systems that UNA uses and is NOT
familiar with any of the processes. But I’m told that Ms. Williams
has been asked by Mr. Evan Thornton to train Mr. Nelson on more than
one occasion. Yes, you read that correctly!! The same black female
who applied for the position. The same black female who was told by
Cindy Conlon and her sham of a search committee that she was not good
enough to make it to the final three for an on campus interview was
asked to train her new white male boss. Let that marinate for a
minute.
If
Cindy Conlon was so qualified to be promoted from Assistant Vice
President for Procurement (which was only responsible for one small
area which was purchasing and had no supervision over the Controller
or Assistant Controller and nothing to do with the accounting and
financials of the University) to Associate Vice President which the
Controller and Assistant Controller would now report to them why
would Evan ask Melissa Williams to train her new boss? Just ask Cindy
Conlon. Oh I know, she doesn’t know how to do the work!! So, how in
the heck could she train him. I’m told Melissa Williams is still
doing a lot of the Controller job duties.
Anyone
else see this as bull? I sure hope Ms. Williams has or is going to
file an EEOC complaint.
There’s
something else about Mr. Evan Thornton that I was told that I find
quite disturbing. It appears that several people under Mr. Thornton’s
supervision has received a speech from him that basically says: UNA
is a great place to work and if you don’t like it at UNA you can
just leave. He then says something like...if you think you can find
something better go try and then let him know because he wants to go
and work there to. I’m told that his staff usually hears this when
they are voicing concerns about something.
Again
just my opinion. But Mr. Evan Thornton is threatening his staff so
that they will be too scared to file complaints or voice their
opinions and/or concerns. He is also creating a hostile work
environment with fear and intimidation. Let’s face it if a Vice
President comes to a meeting and stands up or sits there and says to
a group of his subordinates if you don’t like UNA you can leave
then that could be construed as a threat! From his perspective UNA
may be great and that’s fine. But he has to know there are real
issues at that University and everyone does not have the same
experiences as him. Heck everyone does not receive the same pay (over
$170,000 per year) as him. But what Evan Thornton is really saying is
if you have issues than you need to leave and that’s just
wrong.
What
is wrong with these people? How does Evan Thornton think this speech
is okay to say to people? Again, I guess that’s why Kenneth Kitts
chose him. He thinks like the rest of the Administration. Be very
careful Mr. Thornton or you’re going to find yourself named in your
very own lawsuit. Especially if he has been dumb enough to give his
speech in the presence of Ms. Audrey Mitchell.
But
someone pointed out that maybe not everyone on the Executive Council
is questionable. It appears that the new Vice President for Academic
Affairs, Dr. Ross Alexander, has been doing a lot of good things and
doing a lot of firsts in hiring/promoting qualified minorities since
he’s been there. Dr. Eric Kirkman named new Director of Kilby. Dr.
Terrence Brown named new founding Director of the School of the Arts.
But one can’t help but wonder why now. Is this sincere or smoke and
mirrors due to the racial discrimination issues that are becoming
public? Time will tell.
Which
brings me to my next point which includes both UNA and everyone’s
favorite newspaper TimesDaily. I was told and actually heard the
recording for myself that someone made when they called the You Said
It line at TimesDaily and left the message to be published in the You
Said It column of the newspaper. The call was made several weeks ago
and to date has been omitted. When you read the exact message that
was left you will see why. Here’s the message verbatim.
“If
you think that UNA naming a building after its first black student
means all is well at UNA you are sadly mistaken. Let's not forget the
Mitchell v UNA lawsuit as well as other discriminatory incidents
that's have occurred to minorities on that campus. There are letters
that were sent to several black pastors and civic leaders in the area
that detail these incidents and call for protests. Let's also not
forget that the same names keep coming up in these various incidents
and lawsuits. This includes President Kitts, Catherine White, Kevin
Jacques, David Shields, and Amber Fite-Morgan. The letters demand
the university Board of Trustees such as Joel Anderson and Marty
Abroms and others stop playing politics and do something about the
systemic discrimination on the campus.”
Now
how many think this will ever be printed. Mr. Joel Anderson and Mr.
Marty Abroms wouldn’t have it and everyone knows TimesDaily only
prints the feel good, make UNA look good articles. If the caller had
said how great UNA is then that would have found its way in the You
Said It column very quickly. Well I’m calling TimesDaily out. I
will be writing the editor and asking when I can expect this message
to appear in the paper. I was told that supposedly Ms. Sherhonda
Allen and some of the writers have already received some
emails.
Concerning
the letters that were mentioned that were supposedly sent out to
black ministers and civic leaders more to come at a later date. I’ve
read one of the letters so I know it’s true but I’m waiting on an
update on if the black community is organizing an actual protest
about the racial discriminatory issues. I’m told they are and all I
can say it’s about time. My advice = keep protesting, keep
marching, keep calling and asking questions until there’s some real
change and all issues resolved and all involved removed. Apply the
pressure in a very public way!!
Once
I confirm some things I will be sure to write about it.
*****
*****
No matter what you may think of the Four-Way re-entry program in Tuscumbia, here's a kicker for you. A resident of Colbert County reports she called Dr. Larry Stutts, aka Sen. Stutts, about the situation. His advice? Pray for the lives of these men to be changed.
While we believe in the power of prayer, such an answer to a real-world problem just doesn't cut it. Certainly, pray, but let's at least have a contingency plan for any problems that arise out of this "ministry."
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