By Olivia Krauth–
Two A&S professors withdrew their motion for a vote of no-confidence in President James Ramsey from the next faculty assembly meeting agenda.
Patricia Gagne and Nancy Theriot, who made and seconded the motion March 25, withdrew the motion March 27. A survey showed around 75 percent of A&S faculty support a vote of no-confidence. Theriot said the support is enough to show A&S faculty’s support of the vote.
“We decided a vote of the Assembly would be redundant,” Theriot said.
The faculty assembly is the governing body of the College of Arts and Sciences, and does not have a direct say in the board of trustees’ upcoming vote of no-confidence in Ramsey. The faculty senate is the governing body of faculty across all colleges. The senate’s opinion helps faculty constituency trustee Pam Feldhoff decide her vote.
The March 25 assembly meeting included a presentation on the faculty survey on the vote. About 40 percent of A&S faculty responded, which Gagne said was an “excellent” turnout for an internal survey. Around 75 percent of full-time faculty responses support a vote of no-confidence. That number increase to around 80 percent for part-time faculty members.
“Not everyone is able to attend faculty assembly, as we all have numerous other obligations,” Gagne said. “The survey gave everyone who wanted to express an opinion an opportunity to do so.
“Upon further reflection and in consultation with colleagues, I realized that the survey represents the will of the faculty perhaps more accurately than an assembly meeting where people who want to attend might not be able to. The point is to give everyone who wants a say an opportunity to speak. I believe the faculty of A&S have voiced our opinions very clearly,” Gagne said.
The next faculty assembly meeting is April 15.
