The Faculty Senate will consider two resolutions tomorrow. One calls for the declaration of no confidence in the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees and the appointment of Chancellor Glenn Boyce. The other calls for a coalition of post-secondary institutions to initiate a constitutional amendment to abolish the IHL and create a more representative form of government.
The Faculty Senate will also review the materials that the IHL sent about the search process that led to Glenn Boyce’s selection as the 18th chancellor at the university.
“Therefore, be it further resolved that the Faculty Senate recommends that (Boyce’s) appointment be vacated and that the search process be reinstituted,” the proposed resolution for no confidence votes said.
Faculty Senate Secretary Brice Noonan emphasized the wording of the bill for a vote of no confidence, saying that it is a vote of no confidence in the IHL and the appointment of Boyce, not in Boyce himself.
“That (distinction) is something that’s definitely going to be discussed in this meeting,” he said. “If there were a vote of no confidence in the chancellor himself, that would be detrimental.”
He said that being a leader with a constituency that publicly said it has no confidence in him would make going forward very difficult.
Noonan also said that some faculty senators are worried about retribution they may face if they vote for these resolutions. He said that a large number of faculty senators are either in non-tenure-track positions or have yet to receive tenure. Professors need approval from the IHL Board to be granted tenure.
“It’s always been a concern in the back of their minds,” Noonan said.
The IHL Board usually approves tenure for groups of professors, but sometimes exceptions are made to vote on individual professors.
In May, a professor received tenure after a two-hour closed IHL session, in which controversial social media posts were considered in the decision. His tenure was approved in a 7-5 vote.
“It’s that specific action, to be honest, by the IHL that has some faculty nervous,” he said. “I’m not saying IHL would do that, but in saying that, it has stoked their fears.”
A secret ballot could be used for any reason, Noonan said in an email.
The Faculty Senate has a responsibility to receive and consider every bill that is sent to it, Noonan said.
“The senate is not meeting for the express purpose of a vote of no confidence,” Noonan said in an email. “Resolutions including a call for such have been submitted and will be discussed.”
Noonan added that there would be extensive discussion and many changes for both bills before they pass, if they pass at all.
“The senate doesn’t have a single mind,” he said. “We’re having a meeting to discuss new information.”
The meeting will be held tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.
The drafts of the resolutions are below.
Editor’s note: an earlier version of this article should have reported that Brice Noonan is the secretary of the Faculty Senate, not the president.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
