An Open Letter To President Glenda Glover at Tennessee State University
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Posted By: Sandra Daniels on October 08, 2015 This is a letter sent by my son, Joseph Daniels to President Glover at TSU. An Open Letter to President Glenda Baskin Glover Dear President Glover; “Students Matter Most”, that’s what’s written at the top of your staff evaluation form. Well I’m a student and I don’t feel like I matter at all. My name is Joseph Daniels and I came to TSU, my parent’s alma mater, to get my education and to play D1 tennis, a sport I had trained my whole lifetime for. The tennis team found out quickly that the athletic department was running a straw tennis program. Our 2013 fall season was abruptly cancelled and when we returned to school in the fall of 2014, we came back to a mess. Practice was delayed multiple weeks, we had no strings for our rackets, no balls, our shoes were worn and most of the guys on the team had feet, ankle and back soreness; some of us even had holes in our shoes big enough to expose our socks to the court. Our clothes were stained, worn and tattered and for the second year in a row we were not allowed to play fall matches, matches that Mrs. Phillips said she was busy scheduling in July. We were not even allowed to play matches that were just ten minutes away from TSU. President Glover, we were just asking for the basics so that we could represent Big Blue in OVC competition with pride. My Mom got involved as an advocate for the tennis team at the request of my teammate after the players were not able to get anything done. My Mom contacted Mrs. Phillips about THE PLIGHT OF THE TENNIS TEAM (you were copied on these emails) and when Mrs. Phillips did not address the issues, my Mom contacted the OVC and your office. You never even acknowledged her emails; in fact you never acknowledged any of the multiple emails sent by other concerned individuals, parents and players, let alone respond to them. Your lack of response to my Mom made me feel like I didn’t matter. My Mom sent you a letter on November 3rd, asking for your attention. In the letter, she informed you that she expected for my sister and I to be mistreated as a result of her being vocal. When you failed to respond to her letter, she contacted the Tennessee Board of Regents and filed a complaint. The Board apparently forwarded the complaint to TSU’s attorney, Larry Pendleton for handling. The complaint was filed in November 2014, Mr. Pendleton did not respond back until February 4, 2015 (three months later). Although he was apologetic, he behaved negligently. He made me feel like I didn’t matter. My Mom, who lent her voice to the tennis team, became the enemy of the Tennessee State University athletic department. I became the target and suffered the consequences and my athletic reputation has been irreparably destroyed. As my Mom anticipated, the abuse started early and happened frequently after the new coach came on board. Coach Monroe only had player contact with me for 63 days (two months and three days), but in that short time frame, he documented me eight (8) times and threatened to take my scholarship eight (8) times. In a matter of two months, I went from a good University citizen, in good academic standing, to the poster child for serious misconduct. Removing me from the tennis team was preplanned by Mrs. Phillips, directed by Mrs. Jordan and executed by Coach Monroe. I was bullied, harassed, verbally, emotionally, physically and psychologically abused, discriminated against and subjected to a hostile environment. On April 6th (40 playing days), Mrs. Jordan sent Coach Monroe an email, she stated; “As suggested A WHILE back…you need to identify one more person to get eligible to play and suspend him indefinitely”. For what? For missing one hour of study hall in the spring? For missing one practice that the coach rescheduled that conflicted with my class time? For saying a cuss word out of frustration at the unbearable abuse in an environment where cussing was allowed, sanctioned and even practiced by Coach Monroe? For asking a question regarding NCAA rules or strategy? Others cussed, missed practice and asked questions? False and malicious documentation was placed in my file and used as evidence for misconduct. I felt helpless, hopeless and afraid. Going to practice was like walking on eggshells, but I continued to go to practice every day on time and I gave my best effort. The mistreatment was debilitating. As a result, I am suffering from mental anguish, depression, emotional stress, burnout and I am grieving. My horrible experience with the unethical leadership in the AD department has affected my self-esteem and my love of tennis. I am coping with the pain and depression by running every day and competing in 5K runs. I did not complain about being abused, but my teammate did. He contacted my mom regularly and on March 19, 2015, she contacted Larry Pendleton to advise him of me being mistreated (you were copied on this email). Mr. Pendleton showed how little my well-being and safety meant to him; he did not respond back until April 13th (25 days later) and when he did respond, he seemed clueless because he was offering to investigate an old issue of me being taken out of Hale Hall and being placed in a dangerous, moldy, mildewed dorm that was not suitable for habitation for any living creature. He ignored the real issue. His deliberate indifference made me feel like I didn’t matter. As the mistreatment got worse, my Dad contacted you by phone on April 27th and talked to your secretary. You never called him back, so he emailed you on April 29th and requested a meeting with you, you never responded. When you failed to show my Dad the basic courtesy of returning his phone call and email about serious matters that dealt with my well-being, you made me feel like I didn’t matter. As you know, my scholarship was not renewed; Coach Monroe cited serious misconduct. I believe that the appeal process was not fair or unbiased. Someone in the athletic department altered the NCAA document that was shared with me in my player meeting. Mrs. Bell knowingly made false statements in a University legal proceeding and Dr. Clark ignored critical facts, added false information and rubber stamped Mrs. Phillip’s decision without any follow-up on glaring discrepancies. The reality was that there was nothing that I could have done to keep my scholarship. TSU circled the wagon and protected its own. The elephant in the room is Player Untouchable. When you allowed your majority female led athletic department staff to treat me differently from PU (who committed gross not serious misconduct and had 34 documented infractions in 2014 alone), you violated my Title IX rights to fair, consistent and equal treatment. In 2014, most players had their scholarships reduced; everyone except PU. Mrs. Phillips overrode the coach’s decision to hold PU accountable, citing that she retained sole authority to make decisions about players and Mrs. Jordan said, “Don’t touch PU”. This year, Mr. Pendleton said that the coach retained the autonomy to make decisions about players. How conveniently inconsistent. Mrs. Bell, the Compliance Director of all people, looked the other way as PU broke every rule in the book while I was treated in a zero tolerance fashion for minor or false infractions. No matter how much you try to sweep it under the rug, PU’s record stands as the litmus test for what is considered acceptable performance, behavior and conduct for the tennis team. Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. Phillips played favoritism and acted unethically by giving PU preferential treatment. PU received a full out of state ride during their college career while more deserving athletes received only books. Who do the rules really apply to? If students really matter most, which students? Or is it who you know that matters most? President Glover, your public persona is poised and polished. You are seen in the right places doing the right things with the right people, but when you remove that public mask and when no one else is watching who are you and what do you really stand for? I heard that you were brought to TSU to restore its credibility and reputation. I believe that it starts with YOU being accountable for your actions and then holding leaders accountable for their actions and the vision, mission and values that the University espouses. With respect to leaders, Mrs. Phillips and her team’s actions violated TSU, TBR, OVC, NCAA, ITA and Title IX rules and regulations. According to NCAA Bylaws 2.1.1 and 2.12, you are ultimately responsible for the actions and behavior of the athletic department (Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Phillips, Monroe Walker and Joshua Chance) and every leader who aided and abetted in mistreating me including; Larry Pendleton, Dr. Clark and the Appeals Committee. You say that part of your five point vision is to improve customer service for students, but how do you improve the service orientation (which is incorrigible) at the University, if you do not lead by example. You have not walked your talk of “Excellence is Our Habit” with me. Students are the lifeblood of the University, NO STUDENTS, NO UNIVERSITY! I, like many am fed up with the systemic administrative problems at TSU. There is bad stuff going on in the athletic department, its common knowledge at TSU and in the Nashville community. My situation exposes their dirty underbelly. Why did you look the other way? Go see for yourself! My parents have always encouraged me to go to an HBCU. They said it would be a safe environment; they said I would be protected and nurtured. TSU was supposed to be a place where I could grow and flourish. Sadly, my athletic experience at TSU has been a nightmare. Despite my college tennis days being over, I plan to continue my education at TSU because someone has to take a stand. If not me, then who, if not now, then when? On August 31st, my parents wrote a check for my tuition; the loss of my scholarship is a small price to pay if I can make a difference in just one person’s life because I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. Today, I take a stand for fairness; I take a stand for those who came before me who were mistreated by Mrs. Philips, I take a stand for those being mistreated now who are afraid to speak up and I take a stand for every freshman that comes after me. Students deserve better because WE DO MATTER MOST! I take a stand for improving leadership competence and accountability, integrity and ethical behavior at TSU. Lastly, somebody at TSU failed me; in fact a lot of people failed me, but most importantly, YOU, as the President of the University, failed to protect me. I just want to make sure that you knew how you made me feel, like I didn’t matter at all. Respectfully Submitted on 9/25/15, Joseph Daniels If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
Comments
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On Friday, 10/9/15, Joseph was interviewed by Fox News in Nashville, TN. The Open Letter and the interview are our first actions to take this battle public. Although we are fighting this battle on the legal front, those battles are quiet. I believe that the public and key stakehoulders should be aware of what's going on. I believe that the University is accountable to the public. We will wage this battle in the street. Sandra
Sunday, October 11th 2015 at 10:14AM |
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Today is TSU's homecoming. To me, homecoming represents everything that the HBCU experience stands for; an experience that I came to TSU for from Las Vegas, Nevada in 1978. It represents a coming together of African American's from all over the country to celebrate and affirm the importance of the HBCU to African Americans and to pledge our support. The night before homecoming in the past used to be like Christmas Eve to me. I would fret over the details of what I would wear. I would pray that it would not be cold and that it would not rain. I would fuss at my husband (who is my first and only boyfriend who I met at TSU when I was just 17 years old) about getting his clothes out early so we would not be late, so no one took our spot at the parade, right across the street from the Agriculture building. For 36 years, rain, sleet or snow, I went to the parade only missing twice because I was sick. When my children were born, I took them to the parade and they never missed because it was an important part of learning about and appreciating their heritage. They grumbled, complained as year after year I dragged them to the parade, step show, battle of the bands and sometimes the game and I insisted that they pay attention. I stood on the curb and lavished each parade participant with praise and sometime admonishment if they did not seem to be performing up to par. After the parade, we feasted on 1/2 pound whiting fish sandwiches, slapped between two pieces of white bread adorned with mustard, two pickles, an onion and little catsup, homemade pound cake and a cheap Fanta grape drink. From there, we went to the Battle of the Bands and the Step Show. I was ecstatic when both of my children chose to attend an HBCU. Sadly, this year, I will not be attending the homecoming festivities because I just can't. I can smell the fish and the high stepping majorettes in my mind, but I just can't go. It does not feel right, it does not feel the same. There is bad stuff going on in the Athletic Department at TSU. After direct in your face evidence that my son has been mistreated, President Glover has failed to enforce the University's own ethics policies. This Open Letter took month's to write, but President Glover never even bothered to reply to my son, not even a letter acknowledging receipt of his letter from her. I still think that the HBCU is still an important part of educating African American youth. In philosophy, it insulates our youth against the ills of the world and girds them up as they prepare to take their place in society. They don't have to worry about joining the Black Student Union to see people who look like them or have a sense of belonging. It should be a place where they can feel safe. My child was not kept safe, but he should have been. I am still glad that I chose to attend TSU and I glad that both my children chose to attend an HBCU, but I am disappointed in the leadership at TSU today. Leadership, especially as it relates to young people is a privilege not a right. There are some leaders at TSU whose privileges need to be revoked! Saturday, October 17th 2015 at 10:56AM |
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To he Daniels Family, I love HBCUs and am a product to Tuskegee. It saddens me to think that an HBCU President will not respond to your concerns. It saddens me to think that non-revenue generating sports get treated like second class citizens. The President sets the tone for the rest of the institution. I hope you get an audience with her so that all the facts can be laid out and discussed in a resonable manner. When my daughter was there I reached out to her also---several times.. She never had her secretary, student worker or staff person say one single word to our emails. One thing we did learn from this process however which is critical to anyone thinking about going to an HBCU. "Be very clear on what you what from your college experience. Look historically at what the potential school you are considering has done in that area. A "leopard doesn't change it's spots"... so if you want to focus on an particular area/sport then make sure you go to an HBCU that has a good history or track record in what you are interested in....otherwise you will spend your whole collegiate experienced being very very frustrated. M Randolph Monday, October 19th 2015 at 11:39AM |
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