To the Editor,
I am writing in response to the recent snippet in Inside Alabama Politics regarding my service on the Troy University Board of Trustees, which concluded with the vague and suggestive statement that my “machinations… could land the former senator in hot water.”
Having served the university for 24 years, my focus has never been on “machinations,” but on a singular mission: the transformation and betterment of Troy University. I have been privileged to witness and actively guide its evolution from a teachers college into a major university with international recognition.
My tenure, including eight years as president pro tempore, was defined by historic progress, not internal politics. The board I led was celebrated for its cohesiveness and unwavering focus on student success, which in turn empowered Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr., to realize his visionary leadership—a tenure I consider among the most magnificent in American higher education.
Together, we championed the transition to “One Great University,” propelled Troy into Division I athletics, established critical doctoral program becoming a doctoral University, established a school of engineering.. We oversaw the most significant campus infrastructure construction in the university’s history and laid the groundwork for the new Research and Development Center.
These are not the results of “machinations”; they are the legacy of a dedicated board, a visionary chancellor, and a shared commitment to Troy’s future. To suggest otherwise misrepresents a record of achievement built on collaboration and a profound belief in the university we all served.
Sincerely,
Gerald Dial
Former President Pro Tempore & Current Pro Tempore Emeritus
Troy University Board of Trustees