SU interim president facing possible ‘no-confidence’ vote

• By JORDAN BLUM
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Oct 15, 2009 - Page: 9A

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

University faculty are considering a vote of “no confidence” in Southern University System interim President Kassie Freeman.

Southern Faculty Senate President Sudhir Trivedi has placed the possible no-confidence vote on the Faculty Senate’s Friday meeting agenda.

“Many faculty members and senators have asked me to do it,” Trivedi said Wednesday.

That does not mean there will be a vote Friday.

Trivedi said he at least wants to have a discussion on the topic, with a potential vote at a future Faculty Senate meeting.

“I’m not planning for (a vote) Friday. But you never know,” Trivedi said. “Basically, this is an informational and discussion item. I would not want it to happen in a rush.”

A no-confidence vote is typically a last-resort effort for faculty or staff seeking to have a top administrator removed from office.

Freeman, who said Wednesday she is “saddened” by the possible vote, became interim president July 1. The Southern system oversees three academic campuses, a law school and an agricultural center.

Trivedi listed a number of reasons for placing the item on the agenda, including delays in faculty tenure and promotions  and giving Southern system staff pay raises while staff on the main Southern campus are being furloughed during a time of budget cuts.

Freeman said those delays existed before she assumed the presidency.

Freeman also has received criticism for a system office reorganization that saw some longtime employees fired while others were promoted with significant pay raises.

In addition, Trivedi was upset with other pay raise efforts that were rejected as well as a failed Southern Board of Supervisors attempt to give Freeman a higher pay raise and personnel authority without board approval.

Freeman said she still wants to work closely with the Southern faculty and staff.