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March 28, 2013
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APRIL FOOLS’! This issue’s cover is just a joke.
The Sandspur is published weekly on Thursdays and maintains a circulation of 1,200 print copies. The views expressed in The Sandspur in no way reflect those of Rollins College or its Board of Trustees. The Sandspur is always looking for new paid employees. To inquire about open positions, please email chief@thesandspur.org. The Sandspur Editorial Staff extends an invitation to all readers to attend weekly article assignment meetings every Monday at 6 p.m. and sign up to submit letters and articles. In order to be considered for publication, the name of the author must be included. In considering a submission for publication, The Sandspur reserves the right to edit letters and articles. Please send all submissions to submit@thesandspur.org. All submissions must be received no later than 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication.
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RESOLUTION RESPONSE
NO CONFIDENCE VOTE
On March 21, the Faculty of Arts & Sciences voted for a resolution of “no confidence” in President Lewis Duncan, the first instance in Rollins history.
President Duncan’s Statement
A&S Faculty Response
While the precipitating incident for ploring additional means of improving the present A&S action seems to have faculty participation, I must respectbeen ongoing discussions within our fully disagree with the assertion that College of Professional Studies refaculty have not been adequately engarding development of an undergradgaged in consultative administration of uate business major, it also reflects a the College. continuing strain over the past several In the process of shared goveryears regarding appropriate faculty nance and curricular delegation to the engagement in determining institufaculty, the policies and deliberative tional strategic vision and direction. procedures can become ambiguous, Such tensions are certainly not and occasionally contradictory. A comunique to Rollins in today’s quickly mon confusion is in regard to which evolving higher education environgroup of faculty has authority over ment, as one can quickly gather from which elements of the curriculum. The reviewing The Chronicle of Higher creation of the College of Professional Education, nor Studies (CPS) is We believe, factually, that an oft-cited exare they unique in Rollins’ own ample of the A&S the principles of shared history. Our 12th faculty feeling dispresident, Thad- governance with the faculty enfranchised from have been honored in every their perceived deus Seymour, has described to central role of havspecific matter of A&S me his own such ing approval overconcern, and are open to challenges here at sight of the entirety their review. Rollins within his of the undergradupresidency, and ate curriculum at most famously our Rollins, including eighth president, the iconic Hamilton major courses of study that now fall Holt, even experienced the protest under primary purview of the faculty resignation of a number of senior facof CPS. ulty who left to form Black Mountain Most issues of jurisdiction, apCollege in North Carolina. Since then, proval authority, and resolution of the shared governance process at disputes fall to our provost and vice Rollins has become even more compresident for academic affairs. As the plex as we have evolved into an acachief academic officer of the College, demic community that now includes she serves as the campus leader for residential day undergraduate proall of our academic initiatives and grams in A&S and Professional Studprograms, as well as overseeing the ies, both undergraduate and graduate strategic planning process. She also programs in our evening Hamilton Holt serves as the primary day-to-day conSchool, and a growing variety of MBA, duit between the administration and master’s, and doctoral programs in the the faculty. I am distressed that she Crummer Graduate School of Busiwas surprised by the A&S faculty vote, ness. We offer all of these programs in since it seems so counter to the colthe context of an applied liberal edulegial working partnership with faculty cation, for which Rollins has become she has worked so hard to foster. We nationally recognized. believe, factually, that the principles I believe we have made great efof shared governance with the faculty forts to include opportunities for fachave been honored in every specific ulty participation in the leadership matter of A&S concern, and are open guidance of our institution. Faculty to their review. have been substantively engaged in Finally, I would like to affirm that our multiyear strategic planning exwe will continue to work with any and ercise, including faculty co-chairs for all faculty who are willing participants every major committee contributing in the process of shared academic to this effort; are significantly involved governance. We will work to improve in our current Quality Enhancement the opportunities for constructive Plan development and Demonstration shared dialogue. And we will work to of Learning Team; and continue to be always honor the jurisdictional authoriincluded in the institutional Planning ties of our various faculty constituenand Budget Committee that oversees cies as we move the institution forall major resource allocation and anward. nual budget decisions. Additionally, as academic physical facilities are built or renovated, faculty have been closely Lewis M. Duncan involved in the design of these spacPresident es. So, while we are committed to exRollins College
Gabriel Barreneche, Given the significance of recent Associate Professor of Spanish events, the A&S faculty would like to Sharon Carnahan, address the reasons and make clear Professor of Psychology the concerns prompting its vote of no Julian Chambliss, confidence in President Duncan. We Associate Professor of History must respectfully disagree with his Martha Cheng, view of affairs and stress the substanAssociate Professor of English Tom Cook, tive concerns we see linked to these Professor of Philosophy events. Don Davison, The president suggests that the Professor of Political Science Quality Enhancement Plan and DemJoan Davison, onstration of Learning Team repreProfessor of Political Science sent faculty consultation on curricular Philip Deaver, matters. But these initiatives simply Professor of English are not relevant, for they are linked Kimberly Dennis, Associate Professor of to accreditation Art History While the president requirements of Edge, the Southern Asacknowledges institutional Hoyt Hugh F. and Jeanette sociation of ColG. McKean Chair of Phileges and Schools planning, he fails to address losophy his repeated pattern of (SACS) and are Lynda Glennon, part of an ongoing ignoring faculty, staff, and Professor of Sociology institutional proDana Hargrove, student efforts in favor of Associate Professor of cess begun before Art arbitrary action. the president’s Paul Harris, tenure and unconProfessor of Psychology nected to the conPhilip Kozel, cerns prompting the faculty’s vote. Associate Professor of Economics A vote of no confidence is a blunt Harry Kypraios, message linked to the president’s acProfessor of Economics tions. In passing this resolution the Tom Lairson, Ronald G. and N. Jayne Gelbman Chair of Interfaculty has acted in good faith to voice national Business its concern about his pattern of trouBarry Levis, bling decision-making, which is more Professor of History informed by trends than by reasoned Susan Libby, examination of our institution’s history, Professor of Art History strengths, and identity. As noted in Lee Lines, our resolution, the president’s lack of Professor of Environmental Studies communication and reluctance to enJennifer Queen, Associate Professor of Psychology gage the faculty on significant curricuL. Ryan Musgrave, lar matters is driving these concerns. Associate Professor of Philosophy While the president acknowledges Robert Moore, institutional planning, he fails to adProfessor of Anthropology dress his repeated pattern of ignoring Maurice O’Sullivan, faculty, staff, and student efforts in faKenneth Curry Chair in Literature, Professor of vor of arbitrary action. Faced with no English clear path to create unity of purpose, Charles Rock, Professor of Economics the faculty acted in good faith to voice Ed Royce, its concerns to the Board of Trustees. Professor of Sociology The faculty recognizes the challenges Eric Schultz, facing higher education, and it is actProfessor of Economics ing in the hope that Rollins will be able Rachel Simmons, to face these challenges as a strong Professor of Art and united community. Bruce Stephenson, Signed, Professor of Environmental Studies Vidhu Aggarwal, Associate Professor of English Barry Allen, Professor of Environmental Studies Pedro Bernal, Professor of Chemistry Wendy Brandon, Professor of Education Alexander Boguslawski, Professor of Russian Dexter Boniface, Weddell Chair of the Americas and Associate Professor of Political Science
Claire Strom, Rapetti-Trunzo Chair of History Kenna Taylor, Professor of Economics Rick Vitray, Archibald Granville Bush Chair of Mathematics Jay Yellen, Archibald Granville Bush Chair of Mathematics
Visiting and untenured faculty members, lecturers, and adjuncts were not sent this letter for their signature because of their vulnerable status.
BLAST FROM THE PAST In March 1951, Rollins President Paul A. Wagner attempted to dismiss 20 professors without consulting the faculty first. Wagner's justification was economic reasons, but several of the faculty he tried to dismiss were tenured. The faculty held a meeting discussing their lack of confidence in the president, but the vote of no confidence was tabled and never brought up again. Instead, they issued a statement to the Board of Trustees, who subsequently asked Wagner to resign. Upon his resignation, Hugh McKean became the school’s new president The Sandspur March 17, 1951