By Jesse Bull
Staff Writer

About 60 faculty members attended an open meeting with Leslie Quick, chairman of the Board of Trustees, to discuss faculty problems, including governance of the university and salary plans.

On Oct. 1, the Faculty Senate asked for a specific definition of its role, as either a legislative body with decision-making abilities or as an advisory body.

Quick described the role of the board as that of a consultative body. "If the senate and the president agree, great. If they don't, (the board is) going to have to move ahead and act," he said.

"Some things have been done that have not created an atmosphere of trust," he said. He specifically mentioned University President Robert J. Wickenheiser's appointment of David Cook last December as vice president for academic affairs without faculty input.

John Apczynski, dean of Clare College, said difficulties often arise due to a lack of communication. "The senate comes up with these motions, and sends them off, and we never hear about them again," he said.

"(The university is) fine at generating plans, but we're the pits as far as implementing them," said Harold Gelfand, professor of psychology.

Gelfand specifically mentioned the plan for increasing faculty salaries. The senate approved the plan last year, but David Carpenter, professor of psychology, said the university still lags behind similarly sized universities in salaries.

"It bothers me that we're not further along," Quick said. "The faculty are key employees, and we need to pay them appropriately." However, he did not discuss possible solutions.

Back to BV News