UNL Faculty Senate withdraws no-confidence resolution targeting three leaders

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Faculty Senate did not vote on a no-confidence resolution about three university leaders Tuesday, and instead introduced a new resolution looking to improve communication between faculty and the administration.

Susan VanderPlas, associate statistics professor, withdrew her original motion for a vote on a no-confidence resolution about Executive Vice Chancellor Mark Button, Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Tiffany Heng-Moss, and interim Research and Innovation Vice Chancellor Jennifer Nelson.

“I still firmly believe that it's important to hold all involved accountable for the damage that has been done to the foundational conditions of academic work, tenure, shared governance and academic freedom,” VanderPlas said before her motion to withdraw the resolution. “I remain concerned about the usage of flawed metrics to make similar decisions in the future. However, I no longer feel that this motion is the best way to hold these individuals accountable.”

VanderPlas said since she first introduced the no-confidence resolution, interim Chancellor Katherine Ankerson met with members of the Faculty Senate executive committee, Academic Planning Committee and American Association of University Professors, and the chancellor made promises to continue to meet.

L.J. McElvary, associate professor in agricultural leadership, education and communication, introduced a new resolution focused on improving communication and shared governance between the Faculty Senate and university administration.

The new resolution, which will be voted on at the faculty senate’s next meeting on April 28, would request the three administrators originally listed in the no-confidence resolution create a plan “to reaffirm the principles of shared governance, improve substantive communication with the faculty and ensure a collaborative, trusting work environment for all members of the university community.”

The resolutions come months after the Board of Regents voted to eliminate four departments at UNL in December as part of $27.5 million in budget cuts at the campus. Several faculty members have shared concerns about trust between the administration and professors since the cuts were finalized.

Aaron PeeksMease, an assistant professor of practice in sociology, said he feels the new motion has less bite to it and would like to see the administration admit wrongdoing for the cuts.

“It is a very forward-thinking motion, but also in my experience, when you are dealing with an administration that is or refuses to acknowledge any past wrongs in that process that has taken place, it is very hard to move forward with somebody like that,” PeeksMease said.

Ankerson attended the meeting and addressed the senate ahead of any decisions with the no-confidence vote. Before providing updates on several university initiatives, such as the strategic plan and admitted student day, Ankerson thanked the senators for their work.

“It's an important body in the affairs of our university,” Ankerson said. “It's fundamental to how we make decisions, how we hold ourselves accountable, and how we ensure that the people doing the work of this university have a voice in its direction.”

Ankerson stayed for the whole meeting.

Last fall, the Faculty Senate approved a no-confidence resolution about then-Chancellor Rodney Bennett’s role in the budget cuts, among other concerns with his performance. Almost two months after that vote, Bennett resigned.