President of Tuskegee University in Alabama Takes Her Second Medical Leave This Year

On July 1, 2018, Lily McNair became the eighth president of Tuskegee University in Alabama. She was the first woman to lead the historically Black university that was founded by Booker T. Washington.

In January of this year, Dr. McNair asked for and was granted a medical leave of absence from her duties. Dr. McNair did not divulge the reason for her absence. Dr. McNair resumed her duties on May 15.

Now Tuskegee University announced that President McNair will be on a six-month medical leave, effective October 30. Once again, the university did not disclose the reason for the medical leave. In a statement, Norma Clayton, chair of the Tuskegee University board of trustees, said that “we fully support Dr. McNairʼs decision to take the time she needs to take care of herself. Her leadership is critical to our plans to continue to move the institution to greater heights. We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to her being back with us soon.”

Before coming to Tuskegee in 2018, Dr. McNair was provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Wagner College on Staten Island in New York City. Before becoming provost in 2011, Dr. McNair was associate provost for research and a professor of psychology at Spelman College in Atlanta. She has also taught at the State University of New York at New Paltz and the University of Georgia and was a psychologist at the counseling center at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Dr. McNair is a graduate of Princeton University in New Jersey, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in psychology from Stony Brook University of the State University of New York System.

Tuskegee University announced that Charlotte P. Morris,  former associate dean of the university’s Brimmer College of Business and Information Science, will serve as interim president. This will be the third time Dr. Morris has served as interim president of Tuskegee University.

Dr. Morris is a graduate of Jackson State University in Mississippi, where she majored in business education. She holds a master’s degree from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, and a Ph.D. in education and business management from Kansas State University.