“The Board of Directors of Wittenberg University no longer enjoys the confidence of the faculty of Wittenberg University,” the resolution said. “A pattern of decision-making over several years has culminated in board actions that the faculty cannot ignore and to which it must object.”
The university said it “remains committed” to a sustainable Wittenberg.
“There are no easy solutions to the significant and complex financial challenges facing Wittenberg — and all of higher education,” the university said in a statement. “We know everyone in the Wittenberg community desires the absolute best for the university, now and for the future; however, not everyone will agree on the right path forward. We remain committed to creating a sustainable, thriving Wittenberg for our current and future students.”
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Lori Askeland, one of the professors who was involved with the vote, said the vote was a united front.
“We have been a very divided faculty in the past,” Askeland said. “From our point of view this is a strong result. Student representatives spoke especially warmly in favor of the yes vote — their message was even more strident that they had no confidence in this board particularly after the initial plan was released this summer.”
Wittenberg University’s board of directors approved a plan in mid-August that would eliminate the jobs of 30 faculty and 45 staff.
“We do not make these decisions lightly and know it will impact valued members of the university,” board members said in an email to campus on Aug. 15. “Members of the board, administration, and faculty leaders will be working to finalize the details of the plan by September 15, 2024.”
It is not clear whether any of the cuts will happen immediately. Previous reports said faculty who are slated to be cut would not be affected until 2025-26, because they are under contract for at least this school year. University staff hoped to get at least 60 days notice of cuts, based on federal laws around mass layoffs.
The board said it reviewed proposals at the time that were prepared by university President Michael Frandsen in collaboration with members of the administration and faculty “to address Wittenberg’s financial situation.”
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