EWU faculty senate votes no confidence in Pres. Mary Cullinan, drawing swift rebuke from trustees
Eastern Washington University’s faculty senate on Monday held a vote of no confidence in President Mary Cullinan, showing overwhelming disapproval of her handling of the university’s brewing financial crisis.
“Longstanding concerns about her leadership have been discussed quietly for years,” EWU professor Julia Smith, who chairs the faculty senate, said in a statement after the vote. “As it’s become clear that those quiet conversations were not leading to change, the faculty decided to speak with a louder and more unified voice.”
The vote, taken during a Zoom meeting, was 35-2, with four faculty senators abstaining and one absent. It drew a swift rebuke from EWU’s board of trustees, who defended Cullinan and expressed no willingness to replace her as the university weathers financial challenges made drastically worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In unprecedented times, the EWU faculty senate appears to have intentionally overlooked a fair and comprehensive portrayal of Dr. Cullinan. The faculty senate failed to give credit to our university president for her many significant accomplishments and achievements,” the eight trustees said in a joint statement.
Read more: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/jun/22/ewu-faculty-senate-votes-no-confidence-in-presiden/
