Felix Clary
ICT + Tulsa World
TULSA, Okla. – After Bacone College administrators announced a leadership change at the Muskogee campus, the school’s new acting president said nine seniors are still set to graduate next month.
Bacone College Interim President Nicky Michael has been replaced with board member Leslie Hannah, according to a statement released last week.
“Bacone College is not closing … (after the school) experienced several difficult years,” the statement reads.
The school has been under threat of losing accreditation for more than a year because of an ongoing lawsuit over uncompensated HVAC work done on campus.
Hannah, acting president of Bacone, said that at least until June of this year, the school is not losing its accreditation. Commencement is still set for May 11 for remaining seniors who weren’t able to find comparable degree plans after Bacone suspended spring classes.
Hannah declined to comment on why Michael was replaced. He said several board of trustees also received letters of termination, with staggered effective dates.
Michael said she was given until the end of the school week to move out of the residence on campus reserved for Bacone’s president.
The statement from the board of trustees indicates a “detailed revitalization plan” for Bacone will be provided “in the near future.”
“Our priority right now is to get these students graduated and out into the world, hopefully as productive citizens,” Hannah said.
This story is co-published by the Tulsa World and ICT, a news partnership that covers Indigenous communities in the Oklahoma area.
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