By Josh Moon
Alabama Political Reporter
As Alabama State University officials work through finalizing a contract for incoming president Quinton Ross, the usual personnel shifts that occur with a power change are ongoing.
Sources told APR this week that ASU athletic director Melvin Hines has resigned from the university. Officials are still working with Hines to determine his final day on the job, but he could work until the end of the calendar year, the sources said.
In addition to Hines, Zillah Fluker, the head of the Office of Institutional Advancement, is no longer at ASU and a number of employees are preparing to be reshuffled as Ross implements his own organizational chart.
It’s Hines’ resignation, however, that will catch the eyes of many ASU supporters.
Hines has been the AD at ASU since Oct. 2012, when former AD Stacy Danley was placed on leave and eventually fired. He was named ASU’s fulltime AD in Sept. 2015, and his tenure was filled with controversy.
In Oct. 2014, Hines handed then-football coach Reggie Barlow a contract extension and raise – an odd move at that time of the year, just a month into the football season. Barlow promptly went on a four-game losing streak and less than a month later, Hines attempted to fire Barlow.
The ordeal drew the ire of ASU fans and ended up in court. It was eventually tossed by a judge, but not before a physical altercation between a university trustee and Barlow during a deposition.
Hines followed that with the hire of Brian Jenkins from Bethune Cookman, where he was under investigation for a number of allegations, including threatening a player with a knife. Making matters worse, Hines admitted in interviews to knowing that Jenkins was under investigation at Bethune.
The NCAA later began an investigation into Jenkins and Bethune, which is still open, according to sources familiar with the process. Hines was also forced to report a number of NCAA rules violations.
And in 2016, ASU was hit with probation for its women’s softball team after the NCAA uncovered several violations and a problem with the way athletes were allowed to use book money to purchase other items.
However, despite his troubles, there were successes during Hines’ tenure. A number of sports won conference titles and the school won four straight Commissioner’s Cup trophies.
