Dennis Black, UB’s former vice president for Student Affairs is now volunteering as a grant writer at the East Cooper, SC Habitat for Humanity, after he pleaded guilty to stealing roughly $320,000 from university bank accounts and tax fraud in 2018.
Bob Hervey, executive director of East Cooper Habitat for Humanity, said Black “absolutely does not” have access to any of their funds.
State Supreme Court Justice John L. Michalski sentenced Black in January 2018 to five years on probation, 2,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine for stealing roughly $320,000 from UB and $22,238 from New York state taxation.
Now, Black writes draft proposals to request funding from various agencies and foundations for Habitat for Humanity.
Hervey said he “doesn’t know” if anyone made Habitat for Humanity aware of the details of his conviction, but they knew he had “some legal difficulties at UB.”
“We are aware he has legal issues, the court assigned him community service,” Hervey said. “He’s doing some of that community service here.”
Hervey said he doesn’t see a reason Black shouldn’t write draft grant requests for the organization.
“He would have supervision and wouldn’t be the person officially requesting the information, but he does assist in drafting such requests,” Hervey said.
Brittany Gorny is the senior news editor and can be reached at brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com and on Twitter @BrittanyGorny.
Brittany Gorny is the senior news editor.
