Faculty Senate shows support for Albrecht
After much debate over the procedure of approaching the Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate unanimously agreed to support Utah State University Provost Stan Albrecht as the next school president.
Concerns arose for some senate members when Faculty Senate President Janis Boettinger, President-elect Derek Mason and past President Kevin Kesler, constructed a letter without the full senate’s approval. The letter was sent to the Board of Regents last week indicating the senate’s support of Albrecht as USU’s president.
“I feel like this was out of line, even though I agree with it,” said Pat Lambert, associate professor of sociology.
The senate presidency did not approach the entire senate prior to the letter being written, Lambert said.
Possible urgency led the three senate members to draft the letter, Mason said. The members had heard from several different sources that the regents were going to act quickly and appoint a new USU president within a 24 to 48 hour period, he said.
“We jumped the gun on this,” said Mason about the drafting of the letter. Senate members discussed the different implications and the importance of a national search for a president. Senate member Rhonda Callister said she recognizes the urgency of finding a new president with the possibility of losing ground for the university in the first Utah Legislative session. Professor Stephen Bialkowski motioned for an informal vote to measure the senate’s support for Albrecht. Geology professor Jim Evans said it is important to consider the possibility of an abbreviated or national search, yet the senate members could simultaneously be in support of Albrecht as the future USU president.
“It’s the regents who have the marbles; we have nothing,” said Evans about approaching the regents with the senate’s recommendation. Although not every senate member was in favor of the procedure being used, Bialkowski stressed the importance of supporting Albrecht at the regents meeting Wednesday morning.
“[Albrecht] works toward solutions,” he said. “Support for Stan would be support for the faculty.”
Evans said he was concerned about the procedure approaching the regents, and didn’t want the Faculty Senate to leave the impression that the regents didn’t have options.
“These are people who have a sense of great self worth,” Evans said.
“Don’t box people like that in.”
The senate unanimously agreed on a resolution to support Albrecht as the future president of USU while indicating the importance of a national search as well.
Three regents will meet at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday with three members of the Faculty Senate at USU -kcahston@cc.usu.edu