A recent survey taken by faculty members at the University of Akron indicates they have even less confidence in UA’s leadership than they did when the survey was taken seven months ago.
“Approximately 9 out of every 10 faculty believe that the university is worse off than it was two years ago, that the public sees the university more negatively, that shared governance is not working well on our campus and that they have little confidence in the direction the leadership is taking the university,” said John Zipp, president of the Akron chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).
The online survey was taken by the Akron-AAUP last week; 465 faculty members responded, including 75 percent of the bargaining unit. Roughly two-thirds or more of the faculty in most of the college departments participated in the survey. Only one had a participation rate of less than 60 percent.
UA officials responded to the survey by issuing a statement from Lawrence J. Burns, vice president of advancement:
“We continue to look for ways to work with the faculty and many others to advance the University of Akron, especially in the recruitment of new students and the retention of current students.
“It’s also important not to lose sight of the many good happenings and developments throughout the campus, including getting ready to graduate one of the largest classes in recent years, the great career placements that students are achieving — especially from our Williams Honors College — and the exciting community and university connections that are resulting from the EX[L] Center and its activities, just to name a few.”
Eighty-nine percent of bargaining unit faculty members said UA President Scott Scarborough, who has been in the job since July 2014, is not leading the university in a positive direction, compared with 72 percent who answered the question the same in the fall.
Ninety percent said the university is worse off now compared to 72 percent in the fall and nearly 88 percent said the board of trustees is not upholding its responsibilities, compared to 78 percent when asked in the fall.
Nearly 86 percent do not believe shared governance is working at the university, compared to 81 percent in the last survey, and 88 percent don’t have any confidence in the university’s strategic planning and budgeting process, compared to nearly 80 percent in the fall.
Zipp said one of the messages from the survey results is that just because the faculty is happy with the contract agreement reached in March does not mean that everything is fine.
After a Feb. 4 no-confidence vote in Scarborough by the Faculty Senate, the board of trustees Chairman Jonathan Pavloff suggested the vote was hinged on faculty members unhappy because of stalled contract talks.
That statement was later retracted by trustees because not all the voting members of the Faculty Senate are part of the AAUP.
“This is not the belief of just a handful of people,” Zipp said. “Faculty members think there are serious challenges facing the university and a new contract didn’t minimize those fears. Faculty members are more pessimistic than when they were surveyed in the spring.”
A question in the newest survey that addresses new UA programs and that wasn’t included in the fall asks: “There have been many public views expressed about President Scarborough and his plan for the university. Some say that the president just needs more time to fully implement his plan for the university.
Others say that there has been enough time and the plan is not working. How do you feel about the president’s plans?”
Eighty percent of the faculty members said there has been enough time, the plan is not working and if the university does not change its course, the longer the wait the worse the damage will be.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.