Southern announces Negrón's resignation and says its investigation found no wrongdoing

Dennis Negrón will leave his roles as Southern Adventist University's vice president for Student Development and Title IX coordinator on November 18, according to President Ken Shaw's November 6 announcement as reported by the student newspaper, the Southern Accent. The university separately told the newspaper that an investigation found no wrongdoing by Negrón and that resigning was his decision. [1]

“The conclusion of that investigation is that there was no wrongdoing by Dr. Negron, who willingly participated in the investigation,” Ingrid Skantz, Southern's vice president of Marketing and University Relations, said in an email quoted by the Accent. “Dr. Negrón’s decision to resign was his own and we respect his decision.” [1]

The newspaper reports that the announcement followed concern about a social-media repost on Negrón's Instagram account. It also reports his earlier statement that he had not made the repost and did not know how it appeared. The sequence of those events does not establish that he posted the material or that the resignation was disciplinary. [1]

Shaw thanked Negrón for 33 years at Southern, including service as a residence hall dean and English faculty member before his current administrative work. “Dr. Negrón has my heartfelt appreciation and respect for his many years of dedicated service to Southern Adventist University,” Shaw wrote in the announcement quoted by the Accent. [1]

What’s unclear

Southern had not identified a permanent successor in the November 6 account. Skantz said administrators were considering how to fill the Student Development and Title IX responsibilities and would share further information as decisions were made. The report does not publish the investigation's underlying records or explain Negrón's personal reasons for resigning. [1]

For students seeking assistance, Skantz said Title IX concerns could still go to the university's deputy coordinators or its online reporting form. Student Development staff remain available to help students or connect them with the appropriate office. [1,2]