“…The best is yet to come!” are the words of the 15th president of Alabama State University, as the board of trustees (BOT) extended Quinton T. Ross, Jr., Ed.D., contract for a period of five more years during its virtual meeting held on Feb. 3.
“Thank you to this board,” Ross said. “I want to thank God first of all, but I want to thank this board for giving me the opportunity to do what I do on a daily basis. I want to thank this leadership team that I have as well as the faculty and staff on this campus because the transformation that we made over the last five years has truly been incredible and has been God-led. We open all of our leadership meetings with a prayer. So with the board, faculty, staff, students and alumni, we have all been moving this institution in a forward direction, and so I am thankful for the opportunity to serve.”
Trustee board president Brenda Brown Dillard explained that the board extended Ross’ contract because it wanted to maintain the stability and success, which it believes Ross has been responsible for implementing on campus since he assumed the leadership role over five years ago.
“We are very pleased with his performance and the success he has brought to the campus,” Dillard said by phone. “He is a visionary leader, who has accomplished a multitude of positive things for ASU that includes having its SACSCOC accreditation approved with no recommendations, reducing the institution’s debt, increasing the school’s academic foundation with new degrees being offered for its students — such as its new Masters of Business Administration and his famous outreach that he extends to local residents and communities, which he calls ‘CommUniversity’ — that recently included disaster relief efforts to Selma and the work done during the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
All in all, she explained that the BOT believes that Ross is a visionary leader who has kept moving the university forward by supporting goals and aspirations, which lifts its student body.
Trustee Tiffany McCord, chairwoman of the Academic Affairs Committee, asked that the board approve the commencement of a mechanical engineering program at Alabama State University. The motion was approved unanimously by the trustees that were present.
Trustee George Gore, chairman of the Property Committee, reported that the university would like to purchase the property on the corner of Julia and Decatur Street. The motion was approved unanimously by the trustees that were present.
He also asked that the board of trustees approve the Beverly Hall Phase II renovation construction contract. The bids were submitted. The Liberty Construction Company, LLC was the winner of that bid and he asked the board to entertain a motion to approve that bid and the renovation of Beverly Hall Phase II. The motion was approved unanimously by the trustees that were present.
Ross explains that his working at the university is more than a job, it is a way of life; after receiving three academic degrees from this great institution. Additionally, Ross acknowledged that he is looking forward to fulfilling the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan, Focus 2030.
“I am both thankful and blessed to be able to continue the work that all of us here have begun – from the board of trustees, faculty, staff, administrators and with the important input and action of our students. The contract extension is merely a confirmation of the progress we have all made by working together during the last five years.”