Dr. Smith Steps Down as Board Chair; Turner Succeeds Him

Dr. Claibourne D. Smith, who has been the chair of Delaware State University’s Board of Trustees since 1992, announced at the Jan. 15 regular board meeting that he is stepping down as head of that DSU governance body, effective immediately.

Immediately after Dr. Smith’s announcement, the trustee members proceeded to nominate and unanimously elect David Turner as the new board chair and Barry Granger as the vice chair.

In honor of Dr. Smith and his more than 25 years of service on the board and 22 years as chairman, the board also voted unanimously to rename the building where the meeting took place as the Claibourne D. Smith Administration Building.

Although he stepped down as chair, Dr. Smith said he will continue as an active board member until his term expires in 2016. He noted that he has always felt that a good leader of any organization should plan for his or her successor.

“Several years ago during a meeting of the board, I told them that I can’t be chair forever,” Dr. Smith said. “I said that we have to have someone ready to serve in that role, after me.”

Toward that end, Dr. Smith appointed Mr. Turner to be chair of the Development and Investments Committee after he came on the board in 2008. In 2009, Mr. Turner was given the opportunity to serve as acting vice chair, and was later elected permanent vice chair in 2010.

“I wanted to see how he would do in those leadership posts and he did well,” Dr. Smith said. “He is a natural to take on the post as chair. As a dedicated alumnus, he will take us places we have never been before.”

Mr. Turner said that Dr. Smith set a good tone on the board through his dedication to the leadership work of the governing body. “Dr. Smith’s mentorship has been very valuable to me,” he said. “It is not easy to share the leadership of an organization, but he has done so openly and willingly.”

The naming of the Administration Building after him took Dr. Smith by surprise.

“I am deeply honored for this to be bestowed upon me,” Dr. Smith said “I could not have done any of this by myself. This has been a great board that has truly been engaged in the business of this University.”

Among the highlights of his long tenure as chair, Dr. Smith pointed especially to the college becoming a university in 1993 and the opportunity to serve 16 months as the acting University president.

“Serving as acting president made me a better board chair,” he said.

DSU President Harry L. Williams began his report to the board during the meeting by making the name change official and calling the edifice the “Claibourne D. Smith Administration Building.”