Letter to the Editor: SIUE Staff Senate position on Board of Trustees executive committee special meeting
SIU-Edwardsville’s cougar statue. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
June 7, 2018
We, the University Staff Senate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, duly elected representatives of the 1,500 civil service, professional, and administrative staff employees of SIUE, make the following declarations.
1. We object to the short notice given concerning the special, emergency meeting of the Executive Committee to take employment action against the university President Randy Dunn. Given SIUC’s objection to recent Board actions being considered with only 10 days’ notice, surely employment actions taken against the system president warrants similar notice, as well as public comment.
2. We object to the Executive Committee’s consideration of any job action, under either its normal or emergency powers. Given that this topic was known before the board’s most recent special meeting, and that it was discussed publicly at that meeting, the supposed need for immediate action is spurious.
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3. We object that despite our supposed co-equal status within the System, none of the recent Board meetings dealing with these issues of concern to the Edwardsville campus have been held on the SIUE campus proper or any affiliated SIUE campuses. The three meetings since March (board retreat, April board meeting, May special meeting) have been at the Carbondale or Carbondale–affiliated properties, as is the proposed June special meeting.
4. We recognize the language used by Dr. Dunn was regretful. We also recognize that Dr. Dunn immediately apologized for his use of the language. We reject the proposition that Dr. Dunn is favoring the SIUE campus at the expense of SIUC. For these reasons, the University Staff Senate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville registers this vote of confidence for the President of the Southern Illinois System, Dr. Randy Dunn.
5. We object that such a significant decision can be made by two Board members. As such, we strongly urge the Board to recognize the further division within the system this action will entail. We request this meeting be cancelled and a special meeting of the entire Board be called.
Gretchen D. Fricke is the 2017-2018 SIUE Staff Senate President. She can be reached by email at [email protected].
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IllinoisCitizen • Jun 21, 2018 at 8:31 am
Glad you speak for an entire community when you admit your leadership is poor. So how does mismanagement justify getting MORE money? This has been a problem 20 years in the making — so “suddenly” is relative. Perhaps when you learn to spend your money more wisely and more efficiently, then you can make an argument for getting some of it back. Until that time, you don’t have much credibility in this fight.
hobo • Jun 11, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Carbondale community to SIUE staff senate. Of course you feel this way when you are about to get 5 million dollars richer. The actions of the executive committee are no more spurious then President Dunn’s attempt to re-allocate money suddenly. It is clear that he is not working in the best interests of the entire SIU system, and his conduct, as well as his below par performance prove it. From our end the issue needs dealt with quickly. Why has it taken so long to turn SIUC around when other institutions have managed to get back on track. or never left the track? Is this because no one is smart enough to fix problems like not having an enrollment director? This is a problem of management(both Dunn, and Montemagno), and the resistance of SIUC employees (due to bad management, and poor morale) to turn things around. How many PHD’s does it take to screw in a light bulb? You’d think all you smart people could figure out how to get along and move ahead!!!!
Ann Albertan • Jun 8, 2018 at 11:54 am
‘Steady as she goes’ is sage advice. As an outsider, watching with much interest, I think there is more going on here. Evidence is key.