Ball State faculty members tabled their proposed transparency resolution for the Board of Trustees after they were unable to decide whether to withdraw it on March 17.
Several members wanted to continue with the resolution despite meeting with the board and acting President Terry King March 14.
While some faculty said they trust the board to continue the conversation about moving past the resignation of former president Paul W. Ferguson, others said they want to fight to change policies now before a new president is chosen.
Karen Kessler, an associate professor of theater and vice chairperson of University Senate, spoke out against continuing with the resolution. She said the faculty should continue working and talking with the Board of Trustees, rather than fighting them.
"We have an opportunity to have a conversation or we have the opportunity to throw gas on fire," Kessler said.
Kessler said she believed continuing with a resolution that would allow the board to change what information is transparent and open to the public would only hurt the faculty's chances of getting policies changed.
Both Kessler and other faculty members said they wanted a new president who would advocate for them as professors, but some argued they would not get one if they push for an open search for president.
"We don't do that by holding a gun to their head," Kessler said. "We do that by saying, 'Let's have the conversation.'"
Bruce Frankel, an urban planning professor and University Senate senator, said he thinks the damage has already been done, but by fighting to change policy, Ball State could reverse that damage. He urged all senators to continue with his resolution.
"There was a day when you earned your tenure, this is the day you're going to get to use it," Frankel said.
After first voting on whether or not to withdraw the resolution altogether, 29 senators voted for the withdrawal and 30 were against it.
Senators voted again to table the resolution and decide on it at a later meeting.
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