Western Michigan University says a faculty union vote of “no confidence” in Provost Tim Greene shouldn’t be blown out of proportion.
The American Association of University Professors released the results of an electronic vote yesterday. The union says 80 ballots were cast before the union found a mistake in the form. Those results aside, more than three-quarters of respondents voted “no confidence” in Greene.
But the university notes that 75 percent of all faculty members either didn’t vote or said they did have confidence in Greene. The vote follows the provost’s decision not to reappoint College of Arts and Sciences Dean Alex Enyedi.
"This deeply flawed survey instrument "revealed" what we already knew--that some members of a single college--the College of Arts and Sciences--are unhappy about the removal of their dean," says a statement released by spokesperson Cheryl Roland.
The AAUP also held a voice vote at a meeting last week where members "overwhelmingly" voted "no confidence" in Greene. Neither vote is binding on the university, which has appointed current CAS Associate Dean Keith Hearit to serve as CAS Interim Dean.