It has been reported that Rider AAUP might
vote on a NO CONFIDENCE measure for Rider President Dell Omo on March 7. I agree that the time is now!For a local publication I have been asked to write something about the issue. So far the following is what I have come up with. If you have additional reasons or want to offer any edits on the below – please contact bwitanek@igc.org .
The following are some of the reasons I would support a YES for NO CONFIDENCE:
- The drive to sell off Westminster Choir College against the expressed interests of the students, the entire faculty of both campuses, alumni and donors.
- Refusing to address the concerns around the issues around the travel ban and ICE raids targeting the immigrant community and to adopt policies, like requiring a warrant for ICE to come on campus and apparent lack of consultation with Mercer County Community College on the matter.
- Almost immediately upon arrival at Rider in 2015, wholesale attack on Westminster Choir College by trying to eliminate the Piano Department and major and on Rider University as a whole by also attempting to eliminate about a dozen other majors.
- Demonstrating total lack of transparency and making financial claims about the state of the university in support of draconian measures like selling of Westminster yet refusing to share the data behind such speculative claims.
- Reckless disregard for the brand of Rider University and Westminster Choir College. Threatening to Cancel majors, closing the WCC campus and undermining good faith with faculty creates the impression of instability for prospective recruits.
- Leveraging the threat to the majors in 2015 to undermine the contract negotiated the year prior.
- Undermining the quality of education at Rider by destabilizing senior faculty and moving to a more adjunct teacher based system.
- Recently using Rider resources to send a letter directly to the AAUP membership presenting incorrect and untrue information about the status of negotiations with the AAUP for the renewal of its 3-year contract.
- Over all autocratic rule and across the board failure to engage students, faculty and staff genuinely around decision making that affects the quality and very survival of Rider University and Westminster Choir College.
ADDENDUM:
Song I commissioned son Rob to record – we called for NO
CONFIDENCE in January:
Rider News report on the topic:
Rider News report on the topic:
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