Following the suicide death of a senior administrator last week, students and alumni at Lincoln University in Missouri demanded the president's resignation, which resulted in the president being placed on paid leave on Friday.
Following the death on Monday of Antoinette "Bonnie" Candia-Bailey, president John Moseley offered to be put on paid leave while a third party reviewed personnel issues and concerns around mental health, the university's board of curators announced in a news release. Board President Victor Pasley stated, "As a Board, we are committed to ensuring that the mental health of Lincoln University employees is a priority and that every employee is always treated with dignity and respect." "The Board is confident in the Lincoln University leadership team, but as we all collaborate to support students and the Lincoln University community, this study will thoroughly look at significant issues, raise issues, and compile information. Dr. Moseley has offered to take a leave of absence during the evaluation in order to allow it to proceed in a completely independent manner and concurs that those matters should be looked into.
The vice president of student affairs, Candia-Bailey, committed herself in Illinois, according to interviews she gave to NBC News on Friday with her mother and spouse. Her age was 49. They claimed that on January 3, Moseley had fired her. In a Facebook post mourning Candia-Bailey's passing, the school described her as a "beloved alum and leader" but did not answer a request for comment regarding her termination. up May 1, she took up the post.
Her mother Veronica Candia and husband Anthony Bailey exclusively revealed to NBC News that she informed them both last month over the holidays that her relationship with Moseley had soured.
Candia claimed, "She never provided me with any details regarding what he did or said."
Requests for comment by phone and email were not answered by Moseley.
Bailey claimed that his wife did not feel supported in her work at the university and that she was despondent.
The university's board declined to comment when asked just why it is initiating an investigation, but Monica Graham—who had known Candia-Bailey since their first year at Lincoln University—said she got an email from the administrator the day before she passed away.
The email contained long criticisms of Moseley's leadership and the school administration, along with a letter accusing him of bullying.
A request for information regarding the letter, including whether Moseley had received it, was not answered by the university. A message left for Moseley at a number on file with the public authorities was not immediately returned.
“You intentionally harassed and bullied me and got satisfaction from sitting back to determine how you would ensure I failed as an employee and proud alumna,” Candia-Bailey said in one portion, according to the email released by Graham.
Graham stated that she last saw Candia-Bailey at the university's homecoming festivities in October. Graham remarked, "She said this job depresses me and it won't kill me."
Following Candia-Bailey's passing, Candia and Bailey claimed that Moseley had not gotten in touch with them. They added that the only person who had been in touch with them was the head of the board of curators, who had requested formal authorization on Thursday to hold a memorial service for Candia-Bailey.
Since Candia-Bailey's passing, a number of people have demanded Moseley's resignation, including Sherman Bonds, the head of the university's national alumni association.
He stated in an interview on Friday that "we need new leadership and obviously to heal." "My main concern is that the office of the presidency is responsible for the breach of institutional care."
Candia reported that she has been reading a lot of positive social media postings about her daughter lately.
She remarked, "I had no idea so many people had such positive opinions of my daughter." "All I want is for her to be seen as an inspiration to other people."
Bailey stated that he would for her to be recognized as a supporter of Lincoln University, from which she received her degree in 1998.
He remarked, "She adored it there."