Superior, WI – The UW-Superior faculty have overwhelmingly voted “no confidence” in the UWS administration in response to the recent announcement to suspend and put on warning approximately one-third of all majors and minors at UWS. The vote was open to all faculty and took place from Wednesday-Friday this week. The vote, which read, “As a response to the October 31, 2017 administrative decisions to suspend majors/minors, I vote no confidence in the UW-Superior administration,” passed by a 59% margin.
“The faculty overwhelmingly rebuked the administration’s top-down decision on program suspensions,” said AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas. “These decisions were made behind closed doors, without the input of faculty, staff, and students. It’s time for the administration to rescind their decision and to engage with the campus community.”
This vote follows a similar rebuke at the Douglas County Board of Supervisors who passed a resolution that calls on the Chancellor and UWS administration to “hold on all suspended major and minor programs until such time that the administration, the faculty and students can meet in accordance with the governance policy in a public forum as it has been done with prior issues."
Other UW system campuses, such as Eau Claire and River Falls, have passed resolutions also condemning the actions of the UWS administration. “What we’re seeing is that faculty, staff, and students are organizing across the UW-System for a seat at the table,” said Kohlhaas. “Administrators and Regents should engage with the people at the frontlines of teaching, research, and scholarship, rather than shut them out.”
Contact: Wren Keturi, keturi@aft-wisconsin.org