Committee of the Whole of Faculty Response to Chancellor and President’s
Statement on Faculty Vote of No Confidence
The President’s and Chancellor’s Response to the definitive Faculty Vote of No Confidence is disrespectful to the faculty, lacks integrity, is replete with inaccuracies and represents a failed attempt to present a distorted view of what has occurred at the College since President Pollard assumed its leadership. Additionally, the response of the President and his leadership as well as recent actions reveal incompetence and violate the mission and core values of Medgar Evers College.
We find it difficult to concede that Chancellor Goldstein read the Faculty Vote of No Confidence Resolution and still offered his unwavering support to the Pollard Administration, one that is riddled with blatant numerous union violations as well as work place intimidation and bullying.
Let’s be clear. It was the Faculty, not external forces, who issued a Vote of No Confidence. We find the suggestion that external interference prompted a Faculty Vote of No Confidence concerning college decisions in violation of CUNY and MEC processes, procedures and shared governance to be insulting. We are insulted that the Chancellor indicated in his response to the Faculty Vote of No Confidence that college decisions must be acted upon locally consistent with University policies and must take place without external interference. And further that the President would state that he would not allow special interests to deter the administration from making the necessary changes designed to ensure the academic integrity and fiscal soundness of the Medgar Evers College is disingenuous. The Committee of the Whole of the Faculty Vote of No Confidence was prompted by this administration’s continued violations of processes, procedures and abrogation of the principles of shared governance.
These are the facts.
- As a result of the nullification of the Faculty Senate Elections held from October 5-7, 2010, the faculty at Medgar Evers College formed The Committee of the Whole of Faculty at a meeting on November 17, 2010.
- On December 6, The Committee of the Whole of Faculty unanimously charged the steering committee of The Committee of the Whole to formulate a statement reflecting a vote of No Confidence that would be presented at a meeting held on December 8, 2010.
- On December 8, 2010, 89% of faculty present (63 total, 6 negative votes and one abstention) at a specially called meeting approved a Vote of No Confidence against the current administration and specifically in the Office of the President, Dr. William A, Pollard and in the Office of the Provost, Dr. Howard Johnson
- The number of faculty who voted for a Vote of No Confidence against the Administration and the leadership of President Pollard and Provost Johnson leadership is significant. The Pollard Administration refers to this vote (as a so called vote of no confidence). Given the number of faculty who generally attend and participate in Faculty Senate, College wide and Union meetings, 63 faculty represents a significant number of faculty.
- Less than 25 faculty voted in the nullified Faculty Senate Elections.
- Less than 7 faculty attended the President’s Holiday Party
- Most of the faculty who were honored at the President’s Staff and Faculty Recognition Program did not show up.
- The President’s statement that recent changes in personnel have occurred as part of the routine academic and administrative decisions which are in accordance with the College’s and University’s policies is dishonest. There were irregularities in the College Wide Personnel and Budget committee as well as in the College-wide Academic Review Committee.
· The process by which faculty were notified of their non reappointment is egregious. Faculty were notified in their classrooms in front of students, in their offices, via email and in the hallway. Precedent and practice since the inception of the College stipulate that faculty be notified on non reappointments by certified mail.
- The President speaks to a strong academic curriculum under the strong leadership of Vice President Johnson and facilities that support the academic endeavor yet there has been no strategic plan for moving the institution forward. We have an academic leader whose ability to develop a strategic plan is questionable as is evidenced by the plan he developed while at the University of North Texas. Additionally, the elimination and reduction of critical student support services and faculty resources impede a strong academic curriculum. While student space is desirable, support for tutoring, research, library, writing labs and student mentoring are more critical to supporting a strong academic curriculum.
- The smoke screen around saving the college money in a time of fiscal crisis is simply a myth. This Administration is simply top heavy with far too many administrators, senior vice presidents and assistant vice presidents (we now have two rather than one Senior Vice President). Recently the Administration hired two consultants for government community relations and public relations, although the college has staff in these titles. Meanwhile faculty positions in academic departments have not been fulfilled.
- Further, the smoke screen around reassigned time reveals how much the administration is out of touch with MEC and CUNY in general. They fail to understand that the fact that adjunct faculty make up a sizeable percentile of the instructional staff at MEC is no different from CUNY. Thus the move on firing these major parts of the engine of our academic enterprise and reducing reassigned time for critical positions is just but one more attempt to dismantle and destabilize the institution.
- The President indicated that efforts have been made to engage with and garner feedback from faculty, staff and students through several Town Hall Meetings and an open door policy in his office. Yet the President stated in several public meetings that he does not want to have substantive discussions with faculty and students. He wants to know to get to know them personally and when any substantive issues come up, he refers faculty to the Provost. The President held one Town Hall meeting with the Faculty, in May 2010 when most faculty were not on campus and were involved in preparing for final exams and closing out the semester.
The administration’s policies and practices reveal incompetence, undermine the mission and vision of our institution and reveal a lack of respect for the collective struggle of the founders, elected officials, and community leaders to bring this College into existence. As such, The Committee of the Whole of Faculty reiterates that they have no confidence in the current administration, and specifically in the leadership of the Office of President William Pollard and the Office of Provost Johnson to manage and lead this College and to serve the students of this College.
