Central State University President Smith fired

Jet, August 26, 1996

Dr. Herman B. Smith Jr., who had been hired as president at Central State University (Wilberforce, OH) to bring the school out of financial turmoil, has been terminated by the Board of Trustees.

Smith was hired as interim president because of the work he had done in stabilizing three other financially troubled, historically Black colleges. But despite faculty layoffs, program restructuring and other budget reductions and reallocations, the school still has a $6 million debt, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported. None of the trustees who voted to fire him were among those who hired him.

Temporary chairman of the new Board of Trustees, Frederick L. Ransier III, said that Smith had been let go because Central State needed a fresh start.

For now, day-to-day operations will be handled by two outside consultants who have been working on a plan to put Central State on more stable financial ground. Their priority is to prepare the campus to open in the fall.

All nine of the university's dormitories have been closed for repairs. Three are expected to reopen this fall, and off-campus housing is being sought for other students.