More than 125 of the University of Illinois’ highest profile faculty members have said they have “no confidence” in school President Michael Hogan and have called for his removal.Note what is missing from that "key". No directors of diversity, no coaches, no strategic planners.
Their letter, sent Monday to the Board of Trustees, is the faculty’s latest clash with the beleaguered president, whose standing began unraveling earlier this year when his chief of staff and top adviser resigned after anonymous, inflammatory emails sent to a key faculty group were traced to her computer.
Hogan has been president for less than two years, brought in to heal a campus bruised by an admissions scandal. Instead, he is now embroiled in an internal crisis that has preoccupied the state’s flagship public university. He has clashed with faculty on student enrollment strategies and what some are calling an arrogant leadership style.
“In our view he lacks the values, commitments, management style, ethics, and even manners, needed to lead this University, and his Presidency should be ended at the earliest opportunity,” the letter states.
The faculty members contend Hogan has lacked financial discipline; usurped duties usually assumed by the campus chancellor; tried to bully faculty and the chancellor on enrollment issues; and generally has had a “failure of ethical leadership,” a criticism levied by the Urbana-Champaign faculty Senate earlier this month.
The 130 faculty members who signed the letter make up about two-thirds of the named and endowed professors and chairs on the Urbana-Champaign campus. Their titles indicate they are some of the most accomplished scholars in their fields and are key to attracting students, other faculty and funding to the university.
What's encouraging about the article is news of faculty resistance to enrollment initiatives, branding, and directives that originate from the president rather than from the faculty.
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