ABOVE: Former DACC Dean of Adult Education and Literacy Terry Goodwin receives thunderous applause while sitting back down. Goodwin kicked off the Public Comment period by calling for the Board of Trustees to “not terminate my position tonight,” and allow complete due process to take place. He also reiterated that the “payments” in question attributed to him had already been “approved by this board.”
By dominating votes, the Danville Area Community College Board of Trustees has approved the dismissals of Adult Education and Literacy Dean Terry Goodwin, and Director of Adult Education and Literacy Chantal Savage Bryant. In addition, a proposed “resignation agreement and release of all claims” for Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs Dr. Carl Bridges was also approved. (For the record, within the meeting packet it stated that the agreed upon resignation date for Dr. Bridges does not take affect until May 31st of next year, 2027.)
After the initial motion for Goodwin’s dismissal was made by Board of Trustees member Sandra Finch, it was a quick 1-2-3 approval of all three items, with the only “no” votes of any kind coming from Dylan Haun, who attended the meeting by phone; and Leonidas Hamza, who is the student trustee.
Moments during Public Comment included former Teaching Pastor at Crossroads Christian Church Miles Clark telling DACC president Dr. Randy Fletcher and Board Chairman Greg Wolfe that “having titles does not equate good leadership.” And Andrew Mussin saying that “public trust in DACC is not low, it is gone.”
During a 45 minute Closed Session in between Public Comment and the actual votes, Terry Goodwin stated that the thunderous applause he received was very much appreciated. He had kicked off Public Comment by asking the board to “not terminate my position tonight,” and “wait until the Illinois Community College Board review is complete.”
AUDIO: Support of the community means the world. Because they recognize that I am striving to keep my integrity, and I’m striving to keep moving forward. It was unfortunate that it’s gotten to the point that I had to speak tonight. I wanted the due process to happen.
Goodwin also said that when he approached Dr. Fletcher asking what he could do to help with the investigation, he was simply told to “stay out of the way.”
Also during Closed Session, with the overflow crowd waiting outside the closed board room, Deanna Witzel from STEP UP Vermilion County said the general public wants integrity, and wants a change in leadership.
(1st Picture) Terry Goodwin returns to his seat after speaking during Public Comment. (3rd Picture) Alderman Ed Butler steps away from speaking at the podium as Herman J. Young, Sr awaits his turn during Public Comment.
AUDIO: We have a community full of people who care. They care about this community. They care about this college. They see that what’s being done isn’t right. There’s so many employees that are leaving; people who have been here a very long time.
While Public Comment was often loud and ruckus, it was absolutely dead silent as the three major votes were taken. Outside in the parking lot afterwards, Three Kings of Peace members Alderman Ed Butler and mayoral candidate Frank McCullough stated that with a Board of Trustees that doesn’t listen to the public, the days of recommending students to DACC programs, as they see it, will become a thing of the past.
AUDIO: (Butler) They were very much defiant, and could care less at what the people had to say. (McCullough) We have brought a lot of people out here, and wanted them to get help with their GEDs, and also other higher learning. And also, we helped them into the trucking program here. I mean it’s a sad day.
A statement released by Danville Area Community College immediately after the meeting reiterated their case that an October of 2025 “review of grant budgets and reform reports in DACC’s Adult Education and Literacy Department discovered discrepancies in fund disbursement and elevated performance outcomes, with respect to funding received through the Innovation Bridge and Transition Grant.”
The statement continues that Dr. Fletcher at that time, along with the “College’s executive leadership team,” conducted a six month investigation; and “discovered a pattern of misappropriation of funds, along with falsification of test scores and grant performance reports, from 2022 to 2025.”
During his Public Comment speech, Terry Goodwin asked why no concerns were raised at the time the “payments now being described as improper were processed, reviewed, and approved through the college itself.”
