The Morehouse College community woke on Thursday morning to the news that William Taggart, interim president of the historically black institution in Atlanta, had died Wednesday night.
Taggart, 55, took on leadership of the college after Dr. John Silvanus Wilson was ousted from his position in April. The change in leadership was part of a broader shift in governance at the school, which reportedly had been plagued by a poor working relationship between former board of trustees chair Robert C. Davidson, Jr., and Wilson for years.
The former president and CEO of Atlanta Life Financial Company, Taggart joined Morehouse as chief operating officer in July 2015. As a graduate of Howard University, Taggart was the first non-alum to lead the school in decades.
In a statement on Thursday morning, the board of trustees said:
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Bill Taggart, a beloved colleague, father and friend. For the past two years, Bill devoted himself wholeheartedly to Morehouse College. We are eternally grateful for his loyal support, counsel and the leadership he provided to students, faculty and alumni. Throughout his tenure, Bill had a positive impact on Morehouse College and the Greater Atlanta Business Community. He leaves behind a long legacy of compassion, integrity and devotion.”
In response to a request for comment, Morehouse representatives referred Diverse to the board’s statement.
Taggart served as chief operating officer with the Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid, which administers federal student loans and Pell grants, from 2009 to 2011. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos commented on Taggart’s passing in a statement Thursday evening.
