It is 11pm and this blogger is not a night person. The closed session is still going on. Glenn gave me his comments in advance. He and others who want to speak during the open comment period are still hanging in. So here is an advance copy of his remarks.

Good evening, I’m Glenn Hansen, President of the Faculty Senate and Faculty Association.

Steve Goodman, who sang here when I was a student, once wrote “I think this is where I came in, I’ve heard this song before”. There has always been chaos and turmoil in the Boardroom, but we have reached a new high. The change in public comments policy will not make it better. On my first night speaking to the Board, a trustee resigned, then later that year the facilities master plan architect resigned, then another Trustee resigned, then a president was fired, followed by employee (especially faculty salaries) needing to be posted, there was the ABOR debate, students attended a meeting with tape across their mouths, armed guards were at a new president’s press conference with barricades to keep everyone but the press out, 3 presidents were on the payroll simultaneously, a man in a black t-shirt and a huge check paraded around the room, and the list goes on.

Tonight, there were many speakers. There will be positive statements made in addition to more criticism. It’s rumored that administrators have been urging people to speak up to defend the besieged president and the administrators have started a surveymonkey.com for each individual constituency group to debunk the full-time faculty’s Vote of No Confidence. Buttons have been made to proclaim your loyalty. Regardless of the popularity competition that seems to be happening, our vote stands.

A Vote of No Confidence cannot be diminished or dismissed; you cannot blame it on the “union”, a 4-letter word in this room. You cannot blame it on a contract. You diminish yourselves by saying it is only 10% of the employees. Do you really want to say that only 10% of your employees are the full-time faculty? The ones who create and maintain the curriculum and teach our students? Yes, we have more than 1200 great colleagues who are adjuncts and they are reminded each semester that your commitment to them is only for that term.

A Vote of No Confidence by tenured faculty is very serious in the world of Higher Education. It means only one thing to those who understand its consequences and that is our expectation of you. Our evaluation of the College’s leadership is on your desk. It is your responsibility to respond. If you would like to hear the details, we are ready to meet and discuss them with you, the Trustees.

Thank you.