Congratulations to Rev. Floyd Flake for accepting a one year appoinment to serve as Wilberforce University's next President. Hopefully, Dr. Flake will extend his Presidential tenure beyond one year. This is a superb hire and I believe reflects a sincere effort to tap into the untapped talent within our own community. Last year there was a thread on this BB which where the originator put forth a reasonable position that our AME colleges would be better off selecting as President members of our distinguished clergy. Now I wonder, pray tell, who advanced such a no-brainer idea at that time??? QED

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2002

Answers

Since modesty forbids Dr. Dickens answering this question, see The Thread for yourself. :-)

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2002

Wilberforce Press Release

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2002

That is great, I know Rev. Flake will do a great job...just wondering how he is going to juggle his commitments to Allen with the Presidency....but if anyone can do it....he can. Or is he giving up Allen? which I would doubt.

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2002

This is good news. I hope other AME colleges will follow...including Morris Brown College!

Brenda

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2002

Since this great institution is under the auspices of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and in fact bears it name, I find this interesting indeed.

Somewhere in a previous string, I seem to recall that Reverend Flack found it objectionable to use the name AME. Therefore, I wonder how he will reconcile his receiving a salary paid directly by the members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church? Does money make this somehow acceptable or was the previous string perhaps incorrect?

Additionally, if we check the history of Morris Brown, Wilberforce and most, if not all of our other institutions, we will find that their presidents have largely come from either the AME Clergy or AME Lay where a qualified person could be found. These include Daniel Payne, William Fountain, John Lewis, John Middleton, and Robert Threat. Thus, there is nothing novel about hiring an AME to head our schools.

-- Anonymous, June 29, 2002

Sorry for the duplication of information; I had not read this far down when I posted my message.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2002

I've never heard that Dr. Flake objected to using the term "AME" and find it hard to believe.

He already IS receiving a salary directly from AME's as pastor of the 15,000-member Greater Allen AME Church in Jamaica, Queens, NY.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2002

flake will do a excellent ,job as president of wilberforce.if anyone has the connects and theh drive to turn the place around, and prepare it for the 21th century. it will be flake. the other in the district ,are not interested in a.m.e. churches any more. they want to create interfaith worship houses. flake still believes in the ame system. he has benfited from the system like other(several who will remain names,yet pusue political careers,act the expense of the churches). flake give up his political career,to pastor ALLEN again.very few among his felow pastors would give up the spotlight,to simply pastor there church. this is a important post in the a.m.e. church since wilberforc is the oldest ame college in the nation and is still the flagship school in the a.m.e. church. remember many man who became bishops were president of wilberforce. Payne,Grant, Wright, for example. and many a important black scholar taught at wilberforce many who made important contributions to the church, Ransom , Wesley(the third black with aPhD from Harvard in history after dubois and woodson)> remember dubois taught at wilberforce. more AME pastor of large churches need to set the leadership goal of a flake, our black colleges are bleeding to death.we need more leaders like Rev flake.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2002

I'm a student at WU and I have been there since 1999. When Flake came the campus has done a complete turn around!! This have been quite better than the other 3 years i have been there. Flake and his staff have brought life back to campus and I enjoy it. I can tell that things are going to get better after I graduate. But hey its for the future!!

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2002

I am a student at Wilberforce, and the things that Rev. Flake, and Amia Foston and Marshall Mitchel have done for this school thus far, words cant even properly describe. I have a love for my schol like no other, and I feel that Pastor Flake has that same love. I have met with him on several occasions, even had the honor of dining with him and his wife. Also being a member of the SGA also allows me to see more closely the work that he is doing. I am so glad that he will be here when I graduate. I look forward to the day when he shakes my hand, and hands me my degree. My prayer is that more people know exactly who they have in the office of the President, a wonderful, loving, down to earth, more than capable Man of God.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2002

I attended Wilberforce University from 1965 to 1969 and am proud to say that Rev Flake was an upper classman at WU when I came in as a freshman. He was an outstanding student leader at that time and of course has continued to make us proud on a national level. I know that my almer-mater will grow leaps and bounds under Rev Flakes leadership.

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2003

I am currently a student at Wilberforce, and I am almost ashamed of the things (rumors) that are flying about MY Beloved President. I cannot believe that there are people who doubt this man of God. He is the most humble person I know. The Wilberforce University Choir attended his church on our 2003 Spring tour. He knows everyone! I have never experienced so much love and encouragement! Rev. Dr. Floyd H. Flake and his staff are the only people in this day and age that can bring Wilberforce up to where it needs to be, and he is committed to doing so. He didnt have to accept such a burden, but he did, and I respect and appreciate all he is doing for Wilberforce. I see a very bright future for my school, and even if I am not here to see it, I know the ones that will follow me will have the best!

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2003

Ultimately, the true test of leadership is depicted in the results that leader has on the students and the academy as a whole. Should Wilberforce continue to grow and make a mark as a strong facilitator of education, should it empower young minds in an ever-greater way, then Reverend Flake's leadership will be vindicated.

But the results of such transformation of students and an institution cannot be tested or measured over night. Time -- years - - will have to pass before one can adequately reflect on his leadership and its effectiveness. Then, and only then, can one make assessments and assertions that carry any authority or give a semblance of an accurate picture.

Nathan

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2003