Ex-GCC President Charged With Forgery

PRESS RELEASE
April 29, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
Phone: (856) 384-5617; Pager (856) 251-4736
Re.: ex-GCC president charged with forgery

Dr. Russell A. Davis, (DOB 9/16/58) of 158 Chancellor Dr., Deptford Township NJ, the recently-resigned president of Gloucester County College in Deptford Township, has been charged by the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office with 11 counts of forgery.

The charges were served on Dr. Davis when he agreed to appear at the GCPO offices today (4/29). He was released on his own recognizance.

Ten of the charges accuse Dr. Davis, while he was employed by the college, of signing the name of a Gloucester County College official responsible for authorizing the submission of loan applications to the college pension fund. Pension funds allocated to Dr. Davis were, in fact, obtained. An eleventh count alleges the same signature was forged for a hardship application to withdraw funds from Dr. Davis’ pension account. The acts alleged occurred between Feb. 9, 2010 and March 14, 2011.

There is no allegation that funds belonging to the college were taken and no indication of other criminal wrongdoing. It should also be noted that the charges filed do not allege any misuse of the college president’s office to obtain pension funds.


However, the GCPO has been advised an audit will be conducted of any college accounts Dr. Davis could have accessed to determine whether there are any improprieties. Through the college legal counsel, Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton has asked that anything remotely out of the ordinary be referred to his office.

In addition, the New Jersey Comptroller’s Office is undertaking a review of the compensation of all community college presidents in the state. That action followed the resignation of a Monmouth County community college president amid allegations of improper spending.