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Faculty Petition Vote of No Confidence in Chancellor and CFO: Ask Everyone to Weigh In

The Weekly Rose
Faculty Senate has drafted a petition of no confidence in Chancellor Doug Girod and CFO Jeff DeWitt for their refusal to negotiate with the UAKU. They asking everyone at KU, including staff, faculty, students, and even alumni, to weigh in.
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Following Chancellor Doug Girod's sudden refusal to continue union contract negotiations with the United Academics of KU (UAKU) on Friday and communication of his intent to declare an impasse, the KU Faculty Senate has drafted a petition of no confidence in him and Chief Financial Officer Jeff DeWitt. Faculty Senate President Misty Heggeness and University Senate President Poppy DeltaDawn are asking everyone at KU, including staff, faculty, students, and even alumni, to weigh in. In their letter to the university, Heggeness also calls for an external audit of KU's Finances. Unprecedented investments in athletics while the university, by their own admission, is facing "fiscal challenges" have come at the cost of academic programs and faculty. Wages and salary equity have been deprioritized.

KU's Student Senate passed a resolution urging the university to continue negotiating a fair contract in November, but until now faculty and university governance have largely deferred to the Union throughout this process. Voting is open until noon on Wednesday the 4th. A 3/4ths vote is required to proceed. You can vote anonymously, or include your name in the petition.

According to the Lawrence Journal World, fair market compensation would require a raise in wages of 13%. The union floated 3%. The chancellor stuck at 1%. By the chancellor's own admission, although they are willing to make some adjustments in that direction, providing "fair market pay" across the board will not align for the universities compensation philosophy for at least the next "several years." The chancellor cites a constrained budget and current revenue projections. Heggeness blames athletics for the lions share of that contraint.

Faculty senate floated, but ultimately did not peruse a similar vote in 2021 in response to the Chancellor's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Edited by Jack Shaw

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