Following the death of a Black former school administrator, investigators have cleared Lincoln University President John Moseley of any bullying claims made against him. After conducting a lengthy third-party investigation, the university has decided to allow Moseley to retain his position as president.
Located in Jefferson City, Missouri, Lincoln University is one of the state’s HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). The school made headlines when former Vice President of Student Affairs Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey, 49, committed suicide just days into the new year.
Correspondance between Candia-Bailey and her family showed discontent with the treatment she experienced while working at the school. In the days before her death, Moseley had fired Candia-Bailey. She reached out to long-time friend Monica Graham and recounted claims of bullying she had experienced while working with Moseley.
In October 2023, Graham and Candia-Bailey reconnected at the school’s homecoming. Graham told reporters that at the event Candia-Bailey said the job depressed her. Family members also spoke out publicly, saying she had felt depressed and unsupported at work. Candia-Bailey had requested medical leave to focus on her mental. However, because the school had employed her for only a year, she did not qualify under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act.
After Candia-Bailey’s death became public, Moseley volunteered to be placed on paid administrative leave. When students learned about Candia-Bailey’s passing in an email, they organized a protest. “Mental health is real; not only do children get bullied, but adults do get bullied,” said senior student Daenisha Dudley. Several students voiced concerns about the fact that Bailey’s request for leave had been denied.
Investigation
The school’s Board of Curators hired attorneys to conduct a third-party investigation into claims made by Candia-Bailey before her passing.
Attorneys at Lewis Rice LLC combed through thousands of documents such as emails, text messages, and internal policies. They also conducted interviews with Lincoln employees to determine if anyone else had witnessed or experienced hostile behavior. Once the investigation concluded, the Board of Curators received a final report.
“During this exhaustive, independent investigation, no evidence was found that Dr. Moseley bullied Dr. Candia-Bailey,” board members said in an open letter regarding the investigation. Testimony from employees and Moseley himself all acknowledge that his communication style is rather direct. However, no one said that they had felt personally bullied by the school’s president. The letter continued, “Based on this report, we are confident that President Moseley has not, and does not engage in bullying or harassment of Lincoln University employees.”
Related Stories
Despite not finding any direct evidence of misconduct, they did find examples of workplace stress that led to strained work relationships. The board stated that they are addressing those concerns and are working closely with Moseley to improve staff operations.
Lincoln Community Response
In a joint press statement following the investigation’s conclusion, the President of the Missouri NAACP State Conference Rod Chapel said, “While this independent report clarifies the facts about legal and procedural concerns that have been raised, it does not make Dr. Candia-Bailey’s death any less tragic for her loved ones or our University community, and we continue to grieve her loss as we work with students and employees to strengthen Lincoln University moving forward.”
Board President Victor Pasley chimed in, saying, “For us, this report is not the end of a process, but rather the beginning of one.” He goes on to say, “We’re also thankful to those who are agitating for a stronger Lincoln University – we share your commitment, we are listening, we hear you and we are more dedicated than ever to strengthening our University.”
