Morris College President’s Charge, Delivered by Dr. Michael Lomax of UNCF

April 12, 2019

I AM DEEPLY HONORED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INAUGURATION OF MORRIS COLLEGE’S TENTH PRESIDENT, DR. LEROY STAGGERS.

I HAVE KNOWN PRESIDENT STAGGERS SINCE 1997 WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT OF . DR. STAGGERS WOULD PERIODICALLY REPRESENT MORRIS COLLEGE AT OUR UNCF MEETINGS, WHEN DR. RICHARDSON COULD NOT PERSONALLY BE IN ATTENDANCE.

DR. STAGGERS HAS ALWAYS REPRESENTED MORRIS COLLEGE WITH THE SAME DIGNITY, CARE, THOUGHTFULNESS, AND DETERMINATION TO BALANCE HIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO MORRIS COLLEGE WITH HIS UNFLAGGING BELIEF IN THE MISSION AND IMPORTANCE OF THE COLLECTIVE WORK OF UNCF AND OUR 37 MEMBER INSTITUTIONS TO ADVANCE HBCUS, OUR ALUMNI AND THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.

DR. RICHARDSON WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY LEADER WHO, OVER HIS FORTY- THREE YEARS OF SERVICE, GUIDED MORRIS CAREFULLY, STRATEGICALLY, AND THOUGHTFULLY; HE ENSURED THAT, BY EVERY MEASURE, MORRIS WAS STRONGER AT THE END OF HIS TENURE THAN IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING.

DR. RICHARDSON RANKS AMONG OTHER HBCU GIANTS FROM WHOM I HAD THE HONOR OF KNOWING AND WORKING WITH—’S LEGENDARY PRESIDENT BENJAMIN ELIJAH MAYS AND ’S AND LATER ’S PRESIDENT BENJAMIN PAYTON. LIKE THEM, DR. RICHARDSON PROVIDED STEADY AND MATURE LEADERSHIP OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME THAT STRENGTHENED AND ENSURED THE INSTITUTION’S BRIGHTER FUTURE.

TODAY, AS WE JOIN IN THE INAUGURATION OF OUR NEW PRESIDENT OF MORRIS COLLEGE, OUR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE LEROY STAGGERS, WE CAN BE THANKFUL THAT HE IS NO NEWCOMER TO MORRIS COLLEGE BUT, INSTEAD, A SEASONED LEADER WHO KNOWS THE COLLEGE WELL AND HAS BEEN PREPARED OVER HIS TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE HERE TO LEAD IN TIMES SUCH AS THESE.

TODAY, I AM TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GIVING THE CHARGE TO YOUR NEW LEADER AS HE BEGINS HIS TENURE AS MORRIS’ TENTH PRESIDENT. TO THAT END, I OFFER THESE FIVE CHALLENGES:

FIRST, I CHALLENGE YOU PRESIDENT STAGGERS ALWAYS TO KEEP YOUR STUDENTS FRONT AND CENTER IN ALL THAT YOU DO SO THAT THEIR MATRICULATION WILL BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE BECOMING COLLEGE GRADUATES WILL TRANSFORM

THEIR LIVES AND THE TRAJECTORIES OF THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. TODAY, THE BENEFITS OF A COLLEGE DEGREE INCLUDE GREATER LIFETIME EARNINGS, MORE REWARDING CAREERS, LONGER LIFE EXPECTANCY, AND MORE ENGAGED CITIZENSHIP. GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE MUST BE THE GOAL SET FOR ALL MORRIS STUDENTS, AND YOUR PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP IS ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. STAY STUDENT FOCUSED.

MY SECOND CHALLENGE, PRESIDENT STAGGERS, IS TO BUILD STRONG BONDS WITH MORRIS’ ALUMNI. ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY ALUMNI GIVING, IS CRITICAL FOR ANY COLLEGE. HBCUS MUST CONTINUE TO ENGAGE OUR ALUMNI AND BUILD AMONG THEM A CULTURE OF GIVING. HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT AN HBCU CAN HAVE OVER HALF OF ITS ALUMNI CONTRIBUTE ANNUALLY. LEARN FROM CLAFLIN, MR. PRESIDENT, AND THEN SURPASS THEM. SHOW THE WORLD THAT MORRIS COLLEGE’S ALUMNI ARE COMMITTED TO THEIR ALMA MATER.

MY THIRD CHALLENGE, MR. PRESIDENT, IS FOR YOU TO BUILD, NOURISH AND CHALLENGE A STRONG TEAM CULTURE AT MORRIS COLLEGE. YOUR TEAM MUST INCLUDE YOUR FACULTY WHO ARE THE ACADEMIC HEART OF ANY COLLEGE. YOUR TEAM MUST INCLUDE YOUR ADMINISTRATORS WHO SHARE YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND STUDENT SUPPORT. YOUR TEAM MUST INCLUDE EVERY EMPLOYEE OF THE COLLEGE, BECAUSE ALL OF THEM CAN BE MORRIS COLLEGE CHAMPIONS AND AMBASSADORS, ENGAGING WITH OTHER TEAM MEMBERS AND ALWAYS FRIENDRAISING AMONG ALL WHO VISIT THE COLLEGE.

MY FOURTH CHALLENGE, MR. PRESIDENT, IS TO BE A CAREFUL FINANCIAL STEWART OF MORRIS COLLEGE. SMALL COLLEGES ARE OFTEN FINANCIALLY FRAGILE AND DO NOT HAVE ROOM TO RECOVER FROM MISTAKES, PARTICULARLY FINANCIAL ERRORS. BE FINANCIALLY CONSERVATIVE, CAREFUL OF YOUR RESOURCES, AND STRATEGIC IN THEIR INVESTMENT. STRONG ANC CAREFUL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT WILL ALWAYS PAY OFF, AND YOU WILL BUILD A STABLE, SECURE AND MORE COMPETITIVE MORRIS COLLEGE.

MY FIFTH AND FINAL CHALLENGE, MR. PRESIDENT, IS FOR YOU TO BE A LEADER INSIDE UNCF. THIS YEAR MARKS UNCF’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY, A STUNNING ACHIEVEMENT, THAT HAS HELPED SUSTAIN, STRENGTHEN AND GROW OUR 37 MEMBER INSTITUTIONS, IN SPITE OF SO MANY CHALLENGES THAT CONTINUE TO FAE HBCUS. MR. PRESIDENT, I KNOW THAT, LIKE YOUR PREDECESSOR, YOU ARE A MAN OF QUIET STRENGTH. I SUSPECT THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM, BUT I HOPE YOU WILL BE A VOICE OF STRONG CONVICTION, URGING ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL OF OUR INSTITUTIONS. I NEED YOU AND UNCF NEEDS YOU.

THESE ARE MY CHALLENGES TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I KNOW YOU WILL MEET THESE CHALLENGES AND MANY OTHERS. KNOW THAT I AM YOUR FRIEND, YOUR COLLEAGUE, AND YOUR CHAMPION. I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST AND GOD’S SPEED.