THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 4, 1997 TAG: 9702040219
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PHILIP WALZER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 125 lines
Gov. George F. Allen announced Monday night that he is not reappointing five members of Norfolk State University's 13-member board, including its leader, Dr. L.D. Britt.
Allen's office also said he is not reappointing Norfolk lawyer Peter G. Decker to the State Board of Education. Decker had been a persistent critic of Allen's refusal, until recently, to accept federal money for the Goals 2000 program.
The four other members of NSU's board who will be replaced are Portsmouth Mayor James W. Holley III; Edythe C. Harrison of Norfolk, a former Democratic state representative; Arthur M. Moseley Jr., a NationsBank executive in Richmond who is vice rector of the board; and Edward L. Brown Sr., vice president of the International Longshoremen's Association in Norfolk.
Under state law, no one may serve more than two consecutive, four-year terms on a university board or the State Board of Education.
Britt, chairman of surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School, was appointed to NSU's board in 1989 by Gov. Gerald L. Baliles to fill out the term of a member who had died. He was eligible for reappointment because he had not served two full terms, said Betsy Beamer, the state secretary of the commonwealth, who oversees the governor's appointments.
The other four NSU board members - as well as Decker - were appointed in 1993 by Gov. L. Douglas Wilder.
Britt, who has been rector of the board since 1994, said Monday night: ``I think the governor probably wanted to have other people to gain the experience of being on the board. The people who I've heard coming on the board are all community leaders, and I'm sure they'll do a good job. . . . He looked at continuity, and he looked at getting fresh ideas and newness - and obviously newness won out.''
But Harrison was less charitable. She said she believed the turnover - which she termed the ``January massacre'' - was driven purely by politics.
``Gov. Allen is the most partisan governor I know,'' she said. ``He removes Democrats at every opportunity.'' She said she wasn't surprised at her ouster: ``I'm a known Democrat. But I am surprised by Dr. Britt because he has never been politically aligned in any way.'' Britt said he considered himself a nonpartisan person who has contributed to both parties.
The switch, Harrison said, is also ill-timed because NSU's president, Harrison B. Wilson, will retire during the summer. Britt led the search panel that helped choose Wilson's successor, Florida administrator Marie V. McDemmond.
``It certainly is not a well-thought-out idea to remove a rector of Dr. Britt's capability when we have a new president coming in,'' Harrison said. ``I regret that this governor is so partisan that he doesn't have as his top priority the best interests at heart of the university.''
But Beamer said of the NSU appointments: ``The majority of the board has served for two years, so I would not think there would be any concerns about continuity.''
At least two of the new appointees also have close ties to Norfolk State: Chauncey Crenshaw of Loudoun County, president of NSU's alumni association who was a member of the presidential search panel, and J. Hugo Madison of Virginia Beach, a retired attorney who has previously served as rector of NSU's board.
``The governor wanted to give others the opportunity to serve that are interested in the affairs of Norfolk State University,'' Greg Crist, an Allen spokesman, said Monday. ``If you go through and look at each appointee, they have a strong background in education.''
In particular, Crist cited Madison and Marian H. Harris, a retired Navy lawyer from Virginia Beach.
``The governor has no reservations concerning the abilities of Marian Harris and J. Hugo Madison to serve effectively on NSU's board during the transition,'' Crist said.
Allen, however, did reappoint one Norfolk State board member to another term: Franklin R. Bowers of Virginia Beach, who is vice president and general manager of Cox Communications. Crist said he did not know why Allen decided to reappoint Bowers.
The other new board members, both from Virginia Beach, are Teresa H. Carrington, a vice president at Central Fidelity Bank, and the Rev. Geoffrey V. Guns, senior pastor of Second Calvary Baptist Church in Norfolk.
Crist said he did not know whether any of the new appointees had donated money to Allen's gubernatorial campaign. Even even if they had, he said, it would not have been a factor.
Decker, the Norfolk lawyer, agreed with Harrison that politics ruled the appointments. But unlike Harrison, he said Allen was no different from his predecessors.
``It's business as usual, and anyone appointed by a governor of their own persuasion should not be offended,'' Decker said. `` . . . I would pick the best person for the job. But generally they pick people to repay them for whatever political duties they have performed.''
Decker said he has been a regular contributor to Democratic candidates including Wilder and Mary Sue Terry, who ran unsuccessfully against Allen in 1993. Decker will be replaced by John W. Russell of Fairfax, a former Republican state senator.
Moseley, the Richmond bank executive who is vice rector of NSU's board, termed himself an ``independent'' who doesn't contribute to campaigns and probably votes Republican most of the time.
``I'm very disappointed because this was one of the most challenging and enjoyable things I've done in the last four years.''
But Moseley praised Crenshaw, with whom he served on the presidential search panel, and Carrington, with whom he used to work.
``It will be a challenge for them, but you've got good strong people. My only regret is that I am not going to be a part.''
Paul Gillis, an NSU alumnus who is president of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP, said: ``I'm very disappointed that he did not see fit to include Dr. Britt, but as I review the names, I see he has included African Americans there on the board. I guess we'll have to wait to see the direction of the university.''
Wilson could not be reached Monday night. McDemmond, who will take over Wilson's job in July, said she did not think the presidential transition would be harmed by the turnover.
``I am excited by the great backgrounds and experience'' of the new board members, she said.
``For the ones who were not reappointed, I want to offer my sincere appreciation for the work that they put in in the search process. I know they will still contribute to Norfolk State University.'' ILLUSTRATION: NOT REAPPOINTED
Five members of the Norfolk State board and one member of the State
Board of Education, Norfolk lawyer Peter G. Decker, will be
replaced.
[Photos]
Dr. L.D. Britt, Rector of the Board
James W. Holley III, Portsmouth Mayor
Edythe C. Harrison, former state legislator
Arthur M. Mosley Jr., a Nationsbank executive and Vice Rector on the
Board
Edward L. Brown Sr., Vice President of the International
Longshoremen's Association