Dr. Gale Gibson has overseen the Newark-based community college since 2013
NEWARK - Essex County College's president has been removed from her position amid a mysterious probe into alleged misuse of the school's resources, officials have revealed.
Dr. Gale Gibson received a letter from the college's Board of Trustees Friday advising her she had been suspended while the board discussed the unspecified accusations, according to her attorney Alan Zegas. Gibson, who is currently on vacation outside the country, will continue to earn her approximately $295,000 annual salary.
Details of the allegations that led to her removal, however, remain shrouded in secrecy.
Juan Fernandez, an attorney representing the trustees, confirmed that trustees held a closed-door meeting Monday to discuss Gibson's status, but declined to offer any additional comment. The board's chair, Bibi Taylor, did not return a request for comment Tuesday.
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Zegas said he also remains in the dark, though he added that Gibson had recently reported similar concerns surrounding the use of college funds and facilities by another employee. He said he was unable to share specifics on the matter, but hinted that other forces were at play concerning her suspension.
"She has been involved in higher education for 23 years and she's done a lot," he said. "She's done an enormous amount for Essex County College and now finds herself caught in some political battle."
Rumors of political crosswinds also accompanied Gibson's rise to president in 2013, when the board chose her to replace Edythe Abdullah.
After Abdullah was pressured to step down after three years on the job, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo openly backed former county administrator Joyce Harley to succeed her.
The board ultimately chose Gibson, citing her doctoral degree as the deciding factor, though Harley was promoted from the school's executive director of administrative services to a vice president of administration and finance - a cabinet position that carries a salary of about $190,000 per year. Harley did not immediately return a request for comment.
With the president position once again on apparently shaky ground, some around the college believe political pressures may be at play. Community colleges have experienced massive growth in recent years, and local officials often have great stakes in the institutions that serve as major job providers and usually lack a deep well of benefactors.
In a statement, DiVincenzo said he backed the trustees' decision to suspend Gibson, but denied he had any influence in the matter.
"At this time, the board believes that suspending Dr. Gibson from her duties as President is in the best interest of the students and will help protect the integrity of the institution," he said. "It is the board's decision, which I support and respect."
Debra Salters, a Newark resident who serves as student representative on the board, claimed she had been excluded from the vote on Gibson's status, and was taken aback at the move given what she considered the school's progress in recent years.
She cited last year's graduating class of 1,505 students - the largest in its 50-year history - as well as its recent nomination for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a national award that could net a $1 million prize.
"They have searched for a year, been digging for over a year to find something dirty on this president," Salters said. "This is politics at its worst."
Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.