Eastern Michigan University’s Board of Regents announced a change to the committee tasked with selecting candidates for EMU president, but university faculty insist that the search be made public.
EMU regents announced that two additional faculty representatives will be added to the school’s presidential search committee. That gives a total of three positions to faculty in the 12-member committee.
Regent Michelle Crumm says the decision was made after meeting with teachers. She says they discussed concerns that faculty’s role in the process was too limited. She says, “They would in essence capture 25% of the committee would be dedicated to faculty and that’s a significant number.”
Howard Bunsis heads EMU’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors. He told the board that the number of faculty on the committee doesn’t change the main problem, which is that candidates will be chosen behind closed doors. Bunsis says the presidential search process violates Michigan’s open meetings act and he announced the union will pull their representative from the search committee in protest.
Faculty Senate President Sandy Norton told the board a confidential search deprives EMU staff, students and Ypsilanti residents from having a say in who will lead the school.
She asked regents to respond by Friday, October 16 to a request for a public search for EMU’s next president.
Amanda LeClaire is an assignment reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact her at 734.487.3363 or email her: aleclair@emich.edu
