‘They didn’t give me an explanation.’

Grambling State University fired two employees on Tuesday. Dr. Karen Martin, the vice Pres. of Student Affairs, and Audrey Warren, SGA adviser, were both released on Tuesday morning. The dismissals came right in the middle of the SGA Election Week, which is normally overseen by the SGA adviser and the SGA Election Commission.

Dr. Stacy Duhon will act as the vice pres. of Student Affairs, while Dr. Michael McKinley will act as the SGA adviser. It is unclear whether they will fulfill these positions permanently or when a search for replacements will occur.

No reason has been given for the firings, and attempts by The Gramblinite to contact Dr. Robert Dixon, Provost and vice Pres. of Academic Affairs, were unsuccessful by press time.

According to The (Monroe) News-Star, GSU media relations director Ralph Wilson stated Martin was an “‘at-will’ employee and the president certainly has a right to make those kind of decisions.”

The Gramblinite also contacted Martin, but she said she could not comment on the matter. However, Martin did speak about the situation to The Ruston Daily Leader.

“They didn’t give me an explanation,” Martin told The Leader of her firing. “That’s part of higher education.

“I’m sad for my students, who are my love, and the friendships I developed,” Martin is also quoted as saying.

Warren said she did not want to comment on the situation at the present moment. However, she also confirmed that, like Martin, no reason was given for her dismissal.

The SGA was unaware of the dismissals of both entities until later in the day. Frank Wilson, SGA vice pres., was shocked to find out about the dismissals.

“It’s kind of a time of mourning,” Wilson said. “Ms. Warren was like a mother to us. It’s kind of like we had a loss in the SGA. The students are trying to fight so hard to do the right things in life, and then you take the very thing that keeps them level-headed and grounded.”

The SGA was not told about the dismissals ahead of time was something that angered the SGA vice pres.

“It’s a mockery here at (GSU),” Wilson said. “The way it’s handled, it was handled very unprofessionally. You just disrespected us as SGA members.

“They should have given us a notice that changes were going to be made,” he continued. “They even took away the vice president of Student Affairs. These are the people we work with and you took that away.”

However, the SGA vice pres. said the SGA is trying to find answers as to why the dismissals took place.

“The SGA is very disappointed about it,” Wilson said. “We all feel strongly about this. We’re supposed to meet with Dr. Judson on Thursday (April 17). We’re trying to figure out answers as to why it happened.”

Regarded as one of the best

Back in the day, Grambling State University was known as Grambling College. There were barracks and dirt roads. There was one academic building. And there was also one intimidating piece of land that football was played on.

“We called it the Dust Bowl,” said Joseph Dixon Sr. “Not too many people came out of there alive. They didn’t come out of there with many wins.”

Dixon’s battles in the Dust Bowl as a player helped him in the long run, earning him many coaching accolades. Now, Dixon can add another one to the list. Dixon is set to receive the Athletic Award as a football player at the 29th annual Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association Banquet on July 26.

Dixon’s collegiate football at GSU would not have occurred if it weren’t for former coach Eddie Robinson.

“I was on my way to Tennessee State, and Coach Eddie Rob came to my house with a Bible in his hand,” Dixon recalled. “He talked to my mother. I came home with my bags packed to go to (TSU). My mom said that I had to go to Grambling, because Coach Rob said he was going to make me go to church every Sunday.”

Dixon was also on the 1955 squad that went undefeated in the SWAC.

“We won the national championship with only four plays,” he said. “We ran four plays to the left; we ran four plays to the right.”

Dixon had a monumental play that season, a play he’ll always remember.

“I blocked a pass, caught it in the air, and ran 12 yards for the game-winning touchdown,” he said with a smile. “I’ll never forget that play. It helped us go undefeated and win the national championship in 1954.”

Dixon’s success in football did not stop on the collegiate level. He carried on that success into coaching as well, winning championship after championship after championship.

“My coaching career hasn’t been too bad,” Dixon said. “A lot of coaches haven’t won one championship. My first four years, I won four straight.”

Dixon ended up becoming an exceptional football player and coach. For his hard work, he is now going to be honored by the Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association. There’s one thing about Dixon; he has no regrets.

“I got a quality education at Grambling State University,” he said. “I played under the best college coaches and taught some of the best players.

“I would do the same thing all over again,” he said.