No-confidence vote for Central Michigan University president and provost shows faculty's frustrations
Detroit Free Press
December 9, 2011
Despite signing an agreement to resolve a semester-long contract dispute, relations between Central Michigan University's administrators and faculty don't appear to be thawing.
The Academic Senate -- the primary governing board over academic issues, such as curricula -- passed a non-binding, no-confidence vote in CMU President George Ross and Provost George Shapiro on Tuesday.
Ross and Shapiro are the university's top two administrators and are members of the senate. They were at the meeting but did not speak in their defense. Fifty-two percent of the senate voted for the largely symbolic motion that represents frustration faculty members feel toward the leaders, some senate members said.
Contacted by the Free Press, several members of the Board of Trustees declined to comment on the vote.
CMU spokesman Steve Smith issued a statement on behalf of the board, saying it "remains confident in the leadership of Drs. Ross and Shapiro and their commitment to the academic, personal and professional success for our students."
