BCA approves motion of no confidence in University President George Ross, Provost Gary Shapiro and board of trustees
The School of Broadcasting and Cinematic Arts has drafted its own resolution of no confidence in university administration, targeting University President George Ross, Provost Gary Shapiro and the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees.
The resolution, passed by the department during a March 13 department meeting, cites a lack of public notice on university projects, inadequate representation by the president and provost, and injurious financial and academic implications for CMU. The department's resolution brings the total number of academic departments to vote no confidence in university administration to 17, along with the Council of Chairs and CMU's librarians.
Members of the school read over the Academic Senate's original vote of no confidence in Ross and Shapiro before department member Patty Williamson proposed a new resolution. Unlike the A-Senate resolution, the school's motion included the CMU Board of Trustees.
"The School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts expresses its deep concern about the lack of public notice or input into the CMU Board of Trustees facilitation of projects, such as the College of Medicine, that carry overarching and injurious financial and academic implications for the institution as a whole," the resolution stated. "Furthermore, the President and the Provost have failed to represent adequately the best interests of the institution to the Board. Therefore, the School votes no confidence in the Board of Trustees, the President and the Provost to uphold the principles of shared governance."
According to minutes from the March 13 meeting, 11 department members voted in favor of the resolution, two voted against it, two abstained and two were absent.
Peter Orlik, chairman of the school of BCA, said the motion was approved by the majority of the school's staff.
"The School of BCA carefully considered and crafted its own separate and distinct resolution from the one passed by the Academic Senate," Orlik wrote in an email.
BCA is the third member of the College of Communication and Fine Arts to endorse a vote of no confidence in university administration. Both the department of journalism and department of communication and dramatic arts have endorsed the A-Senate's similar resolution.
