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Delaware State University President Tony Allen has been charged with driving under the influence (DUI). According to a report by Delaware Online, based on court records, Allen was driving a personal vehicle on Route 1 in July. His blood-alcohol level was approximately 1.5 times the legal limit in Delaware of 0.08%, registering at 0.128%.
A Delaware State University spokesperson, when reached by Delaware Online following securement of the court records, said Allen had no comment and intends to respect and cooperate with the legal process. Allen has served as president of Delaware State University since 2020. During his tenure, the university has experienced expansive growth and was ranked ninth in the U.S. News & World Report's top 10 HBCUs.
He also facilitated the acquisition of Wesley College. In the deal, Delaware State inherited 50 acres of land, 21 buildings, and 14 academic programs. The former Wesley College campus is now considered “Delaware State University Downtown,” or DSU Downtown.
Allen started his career as a speechwriter for then-Senator Joe Biden, serving from 1997 to 2000. He was later appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the chair of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This appointment came just a year after Allen became president of Delaware State.
The board was established to advance the goals of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, which was created during the Jimmy Carter administration. The initiative's purpose is to increase the capacity of HBCUs to provide a high-quality education to their students and to continue serving as “engines of opportunity.”
Allen also facilitated the hiring of former NFL All-Pro DeSean Jackson as the head football coach. Under Allen's leadership, the university laid out a three-phase plan during the Capital Improvement Committee Budget Hearing in July that ultimately facilitated in the allocation of $20 million via a Delaware bond bill approved on July 1st.
