H. James Williams

Students returned to the School of Business in the fall to find that their dean, H. James Williams, was no longer with the University.

Chancellor James H. Ammons said he wanted Williams to remain at N.C. Central University.

Williams said he wanted to stay.

“Dean Williams is very talented and enjoyable to work with,” said Ammons. “Very entrepreneurial. He understood the importance of quality relationships with the corporate community. It was a joy working with him. On the projects that we did work together, he showed great leadership.”

William said he loved working at NCCU.

“While at NCCU, I never had a morning I didn’t want to go to work,” said Williams.

“I didn’t want to leave NCCU. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It broke my heart.”

So what happened?

In a recent interview Williams said he left because he had problems getting a contract that Provost Lucy Reuben and Chancellor Ammons promised.

So when Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. offered him a job, he accepted it.

According to Williams, in June 2003 he requested a 5-year dean contract and Reuben said she would give him a 3-year contract. But he said he didn’t receive this contract so he called Ammons in February 2004.

The next day, Reuben called Williams to say that she had a contract, Williams said.

Williams said the 3-year contract he was promised dwindled down to a 2-year contract that included the year he was already under contract.

He said he considered this a 1-year contract, so he wanted to weigh some options: a 1-year dean contract or the Asa T. Spaulding Distinguished Professorship.

According to Williams, Reuben said she would prepare these contracts, but she told him “it won’t be next week.”

In March, a search firm contacted Williams about a dean’s position at Grand Valley State.

“I considered it. At this point it didn’t look like I was going to be offered a dean position at NCCU after nine months of trying,” said Williams.

As it turned out, Williams was their top choice for dean of that university’s business school.

Williams said he called Ammons and left a message with his secretary saying, “I don’t want to leave NCCU, but I feel like I’m being pushed out.”

Williams said Ammons then set up a meeting in which Ammons told Reuben to give Williams a contract before May.

According to Williams, he received the offer from Grand Valley State in early May, but had not received the contract from NCCU. So he called Ammons once again to ask about his contract on April 30. Ammons was out sick.

Williams said he didn’t hear from Ammons or Reuben so he accepted the offer.

At the May 4-5 School of Business’ faculty and staff retreat, Reuben told him that she had a contract for him on her desk, he said.

“I don’t know the details of that contract because I had already given my word to Grand Valley State,” said Williams.

“We were surprised that Dean Williams accepted another position,” said Ammons. “I thought we were headed in the right direction … it was a surprise.”

Ammons said he doesn’t know everything that led to Williams’ departure.

“Maybe the Provost is better to answer these questions,” Ammons said. “I’m not sure if I know all the issues surrounding why he chose to take the job in Michigan.”

Ammons said he wanted Williams to continue as dean of the School of Business.

“I let him know that his tenure with NCCU was not in question,” said Ammons.“We talked to him about staying, and he decided it was best to take the [Michigan] offer.”

The Campus Echo has tried to talk to Reuben for three weeks, but has been unable to get an interview.

Williams got his bachelor’s of science in accounting from NCCU.

He was a certified public accountant with Ernst and Young.

His master’s of business is from the University of Wisconsin and his doctorate is in accounting from the University of Georgia. He has two law degrees from Georgetown.

He has taught at Georgetown, Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M and Notre Dame universities.

His first dean position was at Delaware State University, where he worked for five years before coming to NCCU.

Computer information systems associate professor Courtney Ferguson, who taught Williams when he was an NCCU student, spoke highly of him.

“He was a perfectionist and a workaholic,” Ferguson said.

“I was disappointed when I found out he was leaving. He worked very hard, but eventually I realized that he had a great opportunity. I wish him the best.”

Williams has no hard feelings.

“I don’t have any ill will towards the administration,” he said.

“I don’t know what happened, but I'm sure they are doing the best job they know how. I want to apologize to the students because I didn’t get a chance to say an appropriate goodbye, and thank them for making my life so wonderful for the last five years.

“I encourage them to try to reach their dreams and to strive for excellence. I am always here for you if you need anything please let me know — by phone, e-mail or snail mail. I’m here for you.”