Two weeks after a divided board voted 7-4 not to renew his position as president, Dr. George Cooper is back as head of South Carolina State University. The board met Thursday morning with new members Robert Waldrep Jr. and Patricia Lott replacing Lumus Byrd and Earl Bridges. Both Byrd and Bridges had voted against rehiring Cooper as president on June 14. Their terms expired July 1. The board voted 8-5 to rescind and expunge from the minutes the non-renewal of Cooper's position as president of the university. A few minutes later, trustees again voted 8-5 to rehire Cooper, whose position ended on June 30.Voting to rehire Cooper were John Corbitt, Linda Edwards-Duncan, Patricia Lott, Robert Nance, Jonathan Pinson, Matthew Richardson, Robert Waldrep Jr. and Lancelot Wright. Voting not to rehire were Reggie Gallant, Karl Green, Martha Smith, Walt Tobin and Maurice Washington. A standing-room-only group of faculty members, staff and alumni greeted the vote with a standing ovation, cheers and applause.
Cooper responded that he did "not take this vote lightly as we reaffirm our mission as a land-grant university and meet our highest goal - the education needs of our students." Cooper says he can and will work with the entire board to follow through on what is best for the university. "I want you to know that I will work with the board to stay focused on priorities and open lines of communication that will improve our work as a board and administration," he said. The polarized board voted 8-5 on all issues except the election of Robert Nance as secretary of the board. The five trustees who voted to elect Judge Merl Code as interim president Monday at the board retreat opposed all motions at the meeting on Thursday. They were not present but voted via teleconference.
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