To the Members of the Board:

March 7, 2003

Members of the Board
Wesley Foundation
805 Atchison Court
Jefferson City, MO 65101-3527


To the Members of the Board:


At a recent board meeting I notified you that I asked not to be returned to the position of Director of the Wesley Foundation at Lincoln University once this school year is over. I think it only fair to explain to you my reasons for reaching this difficult decision.

I can sum up the reason in a short explanation – I have been made to feel like the Invisible Man, as described in Ralph Ellison’s eloquent novel. Since my arrival at Lincoln last summer there has been little interest in my personal well-being or job satisfaction. I have not received appropriate, necessary support from the board, especially the Chair. Perhaps Ms. Klein and I got off on the wrong footing when we first met, I’m not sure, but that is my perception.

This lack of support falls into three main categories: professionally, programmatically and my personal well being. On the professional side, I have asked numerous times for basic general office supplies such as paper, pens and other necessary materials like postage stamps. I have also asked for standard building supplies such as toilet tissue and paper towels. To date these requests remain unfilled. I have also not been provided necessary, basic information such as the Foundation charter or a list of the Wesley Foundation accounts with local businesses. It took seven months for me to receive a list of Foundation board members. And, after seven months, still no decision has been made about how the building is to be cleaned and maintained, or by whom.

On a personal level, I still do not have keys to the home the Foundation has provided, despite many requests. Even more importantly, I have been continuously given misinformation about my salary being handled through direct deposit. I have asked the Chair on numerous occasions about this vital issue and she has misled me – emailing me that I had direct deposit, when in fact, she had not arranged this. Ms. Lynette Bush, an employee of the bank called my attention to this situation. This situation has caused me financial difficulty on several occasions – thinking there was money in my account when in fact there was not. Additionally, it has taken many months to receive travel reimbursements due me.

As far as programs, even though I have not received support, in the past seven months I have increased the visibility of the Foundation on campus and in the community, increased student participation and been active in University life, from interacting with faculty to counseling students. Imagine what I could have accomplished had I enjoyed the support of the Board, specifically the Chair.
In the many months I have been here, no board member has shown an interest in holding regular meetings so that we may all participate in creating goals and objectives to move the business of the Wesley Foundation forward – fulfilling its mission of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

Especially disturbing and frustrating to me has been the lack of a civil, working relationship with the Board Chair. As I stated previously, perhaps she and I got off on the wrong footing when I first arrived. While this is only speculation on my part, the Chair’s actions seem to lend credence to this belief. In the seven months since my arrival, Ms. Klein has refused to meet with me on numerous occasions. I have requested these meetings with her to discuss the Director’s position and how my skills and experience could best be applied to the success of the Foundation, as well as to discuss other pertinent Foundation business. I believe that she has demonstrated a definite lack of interest in giving me the support of the Board Chair that is necessary to do my job.

Over the past seven months I have come to the realization that I am in an untenable situation where I have been working with a Board Chair who seemingly has no focus or commitment to either my success or that of the Wesley Foundation. This is disheartening to me both on a professional and personal level.

By her actions, I do not feel that Ms. Klein is interested in my professional success as the Director of the Wesley Foundation. On a personal level Ms. Klein has not even risen to a level of civility or compassion. She has not responded to my emails, nor has she ever even made the minimum inquiry about how I was adjusting to life in Jefferson City or living in the house the Foundation provides, etc.

Perhaps another person in the role of Director would be more successful in developing a better working relationship with the current chair, and thereby become more effective in fulfilling the mission of the Foundation and moving it forward. While Ms. Klein might have good intentions for the workings of the Foundation I believe that perhaps the lack of a good working relationship between us has not allowed those intentions to be brought forward.

As I said in the beginning of this letter, I feel like the Invisible Man, and I do not believe that God has called me to the ministry to be invisible. I sincerely believe God has called me to spread His word in the best way I know how, relying on my considerable life experience and many talents. My time as Director of the Wesley Foundation at Lincoln University has not allowed me to do this, nor have I felt encouraged, welcomed or appreciated. I have tried my best to succeed in this environment and I do not think that it is possible given the current conditions. That is why I am choosing not to continue in this position.


Yours in the service of the Lord,


Reverend Alan L. Joplin