Latest news with #leadershipTransition
CBS News
01-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Gateway Church welcomes new senior pastor amid ongoing controversy
Gateway Church has a new senior pastor, Daniel Floyd, who delivered his first sermon Saturday after relocating from Virginia. "I just want to say a big thank you to our elder team — just men of humility, character, integrity, and impatience, because we had a lot of questions, a lot of meetings, and a lot of prayer," Floyd said during the service. Gateway Church has a new senior pastor, Daniel Floyd, who delivered his first sermon Saturday after relocating from Virginia. CBS News Texas The leadership transition comes nearly a year after Gateway founder Robert Morris stepped down following allegations of child sexual abuse. Newly obtained court documents, reported Friday by CBS News Texas, reveal that Gateway's leadership was aware of Morris's alleged inappropriate behavior "as early as 2005 and most certainly by August 2007." The allegations stem from incidents in the 1980s in Hominy, Oklahoma, when Morris was a traveling preacher. Cindy Clemishire, who says she was 12 years old at the time, is among the accusers. "Really, the only thing that kept going through my mind was all the way back to when we first met him, thinking, 'This isn't how it was supposed to turn out.' Like, he should never have done that and ruined everything," Clemishire said. Robert Morris Gateway Church The court filings also include a proposed 2011 announcement, written by Morris, that was never shared with the congregation. In a letter to the board of elders, Gateway's president advised that Morris "should not mention the family or Cindy specifically by name as this would violate their privacy." Gateway Church responded to the latest developments, stating: "We have consistently and publicly said that there were elders and employees at Gateway who knew about this issue before it became public — and either didn't take action or didn't inquire further. That was fundamentally wrong. The church elders took action, and none of those individuals are a part of Gateway Church today." Morris's attorney disputes the church's narrative, claiming it falsely portrays Morris as lacking transparency. The attorney also noted that Gateway continues to work with the same law firm that was aware of the allegations.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Delaware president plans to step down after this semester
University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis announced he will be stepping down after this semester. The move by the nine-year university leader comes less than a week after a 24-year-old graduate student was killed by a fleeing U-Haul van that struck several other students and cars along Main Street on April 29. More broadly, the university's 28th president also exits during a period of continued uncertainty, as the Trump administration had previously revoked records of at least eight international students, threatened research funding and targeted UD in a March investigation into "racial preferences." "As we will forever value and cherish fond memories of all of you, this was not an easy decision," the president wrote in a letter to the UD community on May 5, speaking also for his wife, Eleni. His Monday-morning letter said he had "made the meaningful contributions" he set out to make as president, and now is "the appropriate moment" for a leadership transition. UD's announcement did not spell out other reasons for the June 30 exit. 'UD is a remarkable place with a vibrant culture of interdisciplinary inspiration to reimagine what's possible in higher education," Assanis said in a written statement. "I will forever treasure my experience of leading such an extraordinary institution defined by amazing students, talented faculty, dedicated staff and a vast network of loyal alumni and friends who support its mission.' Board of Trustees Chair Terri Kelly credited the outgoing administrator with "advancing the University to new levels of accomplishment, promise and potential," despite challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout. This year, the university is ranked No. 26 among 500 U.S. colleges and universities – up 60 spots from the year before – in The Wall Street Journal/Pulse Rankings, and No. 86 among 434 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. Earlier this spring, UD's top-ranked graduate programs announced by the same outlet included 13 programs in the top 50. Assanis came to Newark from New York's Stony Brook University, per UD, after a a distinguished career at the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In its announcement, UD noted Assanis led over boosts to student aid, enhancements in student life and growth of UD's research, which was catalyzed by his help in securing UD as headquarters for the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals. In 2023, the UD also made its move to Conference USA, under Assanis' leadership. The list of contributions goes on, also detailed in a UDaily sendoff. The leader of the university's Dover neighbor also reacted to the announcement. "President Assanis has been a strong leader of the University of Delaware, my alma mater – and has become a great friend and colleague during challenging times for higher education," Delaware State University President Tony Allen said Monday evening. "I have seen his leadership firsthand and know how much UD's ascension has benefitted from Dennis' tenacity and wisdom and wife Eleni's indomitable spirit. ... Godspeed, Mr. President!" According to the university, news of an interim president to serve beginning July 1 is coming soon. When is graduation? The latest 2025 commencement breakdown across Delaware universities (This story was updated to add more information.) Got a story? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@ or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on X @kpowers01. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: UD President Dennis Assanis announces he will step down
