University Senate has asked Tom DeWeese, the Board of Trustees'president, to disband the presidential search committee partlybecause faculty and students lacked adequate representation.
The Board of Trustees, however, will not accept the Senate'srequest, according to a statement released from the board.According to the release, the board is responsible for selectingwho will be on the committee.
The Senate made the request Thursday in a resolution, which alsostated that the Senate disapproved of the lack of voice campusgroups had in who represented them and the lack of a Muncieresident on the committee.
Senators said only two full-time faculty members were on thecommittee vs. the four full-time members that were on the committeethat helped choose President Blaine Brownell.
"We have a drastically different search committee," SenatorBruce Hozeski said. "I am deeply concerned about this."
DeWeese chose Marilyn Buck, Senate chairwoman, and Senator ClareChatot to represent faculty on the committee.
"I fully expected there would be other people from othercolleges," Chatot said.
DeWeese also named Michael Holmes -- acting dean of the Collegeof Communication, Information, and Media -- as a facultyrepresentative, but the resolution questions whom he representsbecause of his position as dean.
"I joined the faculty," Holmes said. "That's the key message. Myrole will be to represent faculty interests."
Holmes also said he is not a candidate for the dean'soffice.
Hozeski said the purpose of the faculty representation is tomake sure the search committee keep academics as the firstpriority.
"I think we are expecting an awful lot of three faculty membersto bear those responsibilities," Hozeski said.
Leaders from other constituencies nominated theirrepresentatives, according to a statement released from theboard.
Katherine Carlson, student senator, questioned why DeWeesechoose one student.
"Students are by far the largest constituency beingrepresented," Carlson said. "I think we deserve to be much morerepresented."
Carlson also said that Sarah Atkinson, the studentrepresentative on the committee, might have more backing if therewas another student with her.
"She doesn't have anyone to side with her, work with and formideas with," Carlson said.
Carlson also said she thought DeWeese should have at leasttalked to Jayson Manship, Student Government Association president,about a nominee for a student representative.
"I think any person should come through an elected body ofstudents," Carlson said. "The fact (Manship) wasn't asked hisopinion on the only student representative is wrong."
Douglas McConkey, vice president for Student Affairs andEnrollment Management, nominated Atkinson, DeWeese said Sunday.
But Manship, also a student senator, said he thought passing theresolution would only cause tension between the Senate and theBoard of Trustees that wasn't needed.
"Is this something we want to fight against?" Manship asked."Speaking on behalf of the students, I feel we are consistentlyunderrepresented."
Manship said fighting the Board on the issue might causeinterference with governance restructuring.
Despite Manship's concern, Senator Ralph Baker said the Senateneeded to make its concerns heard.
"I'm not saying let's go to war, but let's stand up to theBoard," Baker said.
Buck acknowledged that DeWeese would likely not accept theSenate's request and said the Senate should consider therelationship the Senate has with the Board.
The Senate voted against another resolution at its meetingThursday because of concerns that it might the relationship. Theresolution would have given Beverley Pitts, provost and vicepresident of Academic Affairs, the title of president when sheassumes the presidential responsibilities once Brownell leaves.
Pitts, however, asked the Senate not pass the resolution becauseit would only interfere in her ability to act as president.
"I am extremely grateful for the support I have gotten from the(Agenda) Committee," Pitts said. "I feel (the resolution) createsdifficulty with the board. I need to have your support and theboard's support."
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