Posted on 03/05/2019 11:41:57 PM PST by robowombat
MOBILE, Ala. (BP) -- Tim Smith, president of the University of Mobile since May 2016, has resigned, according to a news release issued by the university. Smith "cited personal reasons" for his resignation, the university's March 1 news release stated, providing no further information. A university spokesperson contacted by Baptist Press cited the news release as the only information being made available.
Trustees announced after a March 1 meeting that interim leadership for the university was named and a nationwide search for a new president will begin.
Current trustee chairman Fred Wilson was named interim president with David Conner becoming trustee chairman.
President Emeritus Mark Foley, who led the university for 18 years until his retirement in 2016, "will serve as a consultant while the search begins for the university's fifth president," the news release stated.
The university, founded in 1961, is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist Convention and has more than 1,600 students in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs.
Wilson has served on the trustee board for more than 12 years and was beginning his third term as chairman. He retired in 2017 as a partner in P.J. Lumber Co. of Mobile where he handled international sales and export marketing.
Conner is an attorney with Blackburn & Connor P.C., headquartered in Bay Minette, Ala.
"The Board of Trustees is committed to building on the university's forward momentum," Wilson was quoted as saying in the news release. "Immediately having leadership in place who are already knowledgeable about the university will enable University of Mobile to continue its mission without missing a beat."
Smith, who led the University of Mobile for nearly three years, previously was provost at Anderson University in South Carolina from 2015-2016, serving there in 2014 as vice president of strategic initiatives. He led Union University's nursing program in Tennessee from 2005-2014.
Who was he caught with?
It should be noted that the University of Mobile is a private college ($20k yearly tuition, I think), and has only 1,500 to 1,700 students. My humble guess is that the pay level for his work eventually became a burden, and he simply decided to move along. So far, no hint of any problems.
Here are the demographics of this fine city:
As of the census of 2010, there were 22,659 people, 8,240 households, and 5,659 families residing in the city. The population density was 896.0 people per square mile (346.1/km²). There were 9,891 housing units at an average density of 391.1 per square mile (151.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.80% Black or African American, 12.47% White-American, 0.38% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.004% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,240 households out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.8% were married couples living together, 33.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the city, the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,894, and the median income for a family was $29,100. Males had a median income of $29,664 versus $21,969 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,137. About 28.7% of families and 33.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 49.5% of those under age 18 and 22.6% of those age 65 or over.
Dead boy or live girl?
Pricherd peaked out around the mid-60s (somewhere around 45,000 residents), which I think half of them were employed with the port. But with each decade that passes since then, they’ve lost around 10-to-15 percent of their population. I think in these times, they are near 21,000.
I think between open property, and big significance on Baptist-lifestyle...that made the college somewhat popular. It’s one of those colleges that you could send your kid off to and not worry about them boozing or getting in trouble. And the college does offer some degrees in mathematics, science, and marine biology.
The expectation that this guy might have brought in more money, and more students....probably was one of his issues that he couldn’t conquer. Oddly enough, they do have students from twenty-odd countries there and studying.
While Mobile College is technically in Prichard, it’s not even close to the bad parts. Closer to Saraland. Nice neighborhoods around it.
Is there a reason this is newsworthy?
I think I put this in Religion.
The University of Mobile is one of the few colleges left that still provides students with a classical education. It is a Christian university that still honors Christ. Maybe this guy was unsuccessful in bringing the school down so has to move on.
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