Dean of African-American Affairs M. Rick Turner has been put on administrative leave after signing a pretrial diversion agreement with federal prosecutors. According to the agreement, Turner acknowledged that last July, during a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation, he misrepresented his knowledge of the activities of a "known drug dealer." Turner signed the agreement, requiring him to serve a year-long probationary period and truthfully testify in court proceedings, in exchange for not being prosecuted and the charges being dropped at the conclusion of his cooperation.
Turner has served as dean of the Office of African-American Affairs since 1988, and is a controversial and outspoken advocate of black students and the local black community. Outside of his role at the University, he is president of the Charlottesville/Albemarle chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In his absence, Sylvia Terry, associate dean of African-American affairs, will assume Turner's responsibilities in the department. Terry has been in the Office of African-American Affairs since 1988. She was on vacation and could not be reached for comment yesterday.
According to the agreement, Turner faced up to five years' imprisonment and a fine for violating a federal law which subjects any person who makes materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statements or representations in the course of an investigation.
By signing the pretrial diversion agreement, Turner is instead subject to a 12-month probationary period, during which he must report to a probation officer and waive his rights under the Fifth Amendment by testifying truthfully at any court proceedings, among several other specific conditions.
College fourth-year Gregory Jackson, former president of the historically black Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, expressed his support for Turner and Terry.
"I'm confident that Dean Terry will do a great job in Dean Turner's leave," he said.
Tamara Dottin, president of the Black Student Alliance, urged members of the community to wait for all of the facts before passing judgment.
"His many accomplishments speak for themselves, and I think it's best we wait for details to surface before rushing to judgments," Dottin said.
She added that during Turner's 18 years leading the Office of African-American Affairs, the University has seen impressive recruitment and retention of African-American students, and the Charlottesville community has also benefited from his work with the NAACP.
"Dean Turner and Dean Terry have been a powerful combination here at U.Va.," Dottin said.
Because Turner's situation is a personnel matter, University administrators would not comment on the current nature of the investigation. According to University spokesperson Carol Wood, the University will not make any permanent staffing changes until the case is further reviewed.
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