First is the worst; second is the best. The Board of Trustees can only hope this is the case for Raymond Harbert.
Harbert, an Auburn alumnus and successful Birmingham businessman, was again nominated to fill the open at-large position on the Board of Trustees Feb. 13.
Auburn's trustee selection committee first nominated Harbert May 2, 2008. His nomination was not approved by the Alabama State Senate before the session ended.
"Since the nomination was not dealt with, the committee had to meet to either select a new candidate or resubmit Harbert's name," said Nanci Fortner, president for the Auburn Alumni Association and committee member.
The five-member committee is comprised of two current board members, two members of the Auburn Alumni Association and the governor. In May, the vote was split between the Alumni Association and Board of Trustee nominations, with the governor as the tie-breaker.
In February, the vote was 3-1 since Ralph Jordan, the other representative from the Alumni Association, participated over the phone and was unable to vote.
Fortner said she and Jordan voted for Sally Jones Hill in May, and she voted for Hill in February.
"It wasn't a vote against Mr. Harbert," Fortner said. "He is eminently qualified."
In a column in the Opelika-Auburn News, Paul Davis said the vote was split because Harbert told Jordan he didn't want his children going to Auburn.
Jordan said although this conversation did take place, it should not be criteria to measure Harbert's credibility as a board member.
"It doesn't say anything negative about Auburn if a parent wants to send their student to another university," Jordan said.
Both Jordan and Fortner said they voted for Hill because she is an out-of-state candidate.
"Forty percent of student enrollment is out-of-state," Fortner said.
The State Senate confirmations committee never allowed Harbert's nomination to be voted on before the session expired in May.
State Senator Myron Penn was chairman of the committee in May and is now vice chairman.
Penn said he didn't dislike Harbert, he just wanted to encourage diversity in the Board.
"I want Auburn's Board of Trustees to be more reflective of the student body," Penn said.
He said the board is still mostly white males. Penn said he won't necessarily try to oppose Harbert's confirmation this time, but he will try to get his point across about diversity on the Board of Trustees.
"The Auburn Alumni Association should be heard," Penn said.
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