Overview
- James returns one week after his Jan. 12 ouster, which was followed by trustee Nzinga Shaw being named interim president.
- The board apologized for the disruption to the campus community and to James and said it will review governance practices to restore trust.
- James said immediate priorities include campus healing and preparing for an accreditation reaffirmation visit in two weeks.
- As president, James led reaccreditation in 2022, restored access to federal aid, and secured partnerships such as Chick-fil-A and Hilton while growing enrollment.
- Reports noted strong criticism from HBCU alumni on social media following his firing, with calls for his reinstatement.