Tuesday, 02 February 2016 21:12

UPDATE UA Faculty Senate Plans "No Confidence" Vote Over Scarborough

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Some say that a pending "no confidence" vote against University of Akron President Dr. Scott Scarborough scheduled for Thursday could be seen as a call by the university's faculty senate for a new regime.

UA faculty senate chairman Bill Rich explains the process.

"The senators will have the opportunity to debate the motion, and ultimately to vote it up or down," Rich tells WAKR's Jasen Sokol, "unless perhaps for some reason the senate decides to postpone consideration. But I think it's likely that there will be an up or down vote on Thursday.

Rich says he has no vote in the process, unless the results are tied...he'd cast the tiebreaking vote.

Hans-Joerg Tiede is with the national office of the American Association of University Professors.

"I think that's how votes of no confidence usually are framed," Tiede tells WAKR.net, "that the body believes it would be in the best interest of the institution for the person to resign their position."

If the resolution is passed by the UA Faculty Senate Thursday, Rich says he'll transmit it to the board of trustees for any possible future action.

(Earlier coverage) The University of Akron's Faculty Senate is planning a "no confidence" vote Thursday over the administration of UA president Scott Scarborough.

The draft resolution lists a number of complaints familiar to those who have been following Scarborough's time at the university, including budget cuts, changes in UA institutions like EJ Thomas Hall, along with declining enrollment and donations....and cuts to "key services".

It also says Scarborough hasn't gotten input from faculty in a number of key changes.

The vote resolution is far from the first time that faculty members have expressed concerns about Scarborough's leadership.

The cuts and changes were designed to address what Scarborough eventually called a "$60 million" budget problem.

Public outcry was heard over a nearly $1 million dollar renovation of the university president's home, including much attention being paid to an over-$500 olive jar for that home.

Scarborough has repeatedly gotten support from the UA Board of Trustees.

Read 2254 times Last modified on Wednesday, 03 February 2016 17:54