The Morris Brown College Board of Trustees announced Monday that it has dismissed Dr. Kevin James as President of the historic institution, effective immediately.
James claimed in a Facebook post Monday that he was terminated without “specific cause or substantive explanation.”
Dr. Kevin E. James is under contract with the college under 2029, but said Monday that the contract was terminated.
James had been the college’s president since 2019. During his tenure, the college regained its accreditation and saw a significant increase in enrollment from just 20 students in 2019 to more than 500.
In a Facebook post James said he was dismissed without cause, and expressed particular concern about the timing, noting the Atlanta-based college is weeks away from an accreditation reaffirmation review.
“I [was] honored to have been selected by the board to serve at the helm of Georgia’s oldest HBCU founded by black people,” James said in a 2019 interview.
In his quarter-century-long career as a higher education administrator, executive business leader, and motivational speaker, James has been committed to improving his community through education and empowerment.
James has served in various senior-level administrative roles within colleges across the Carolinas and Georgia and civic organizations, most recently serving as Interim CEO of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc.
A native of Columbia, S.C., James attended South Carolina State University and earned his bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders and Social Sciences from Winthrop University; a master’s degree in Business Management, Leadership, and Organizational Effectiveness from Troy State University; and a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He is also a graduate of the Higher Education Institute at Harvard University
Morris Brown College is a private Methodist historically black liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded January 5, 1881, Morris Brown is the first educational institution in Georgia to be owned and operated entirely by African Americans.
Nzinga Shaw has been named interim president.
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