Faculty Association seeking input from members to bring to Ross review
The CMU Faculty Association will survey its own members to provide a review of University President George Ross.
This is in addition to several leaders of the FA who have already been selected to be interviewed by the three-person Presidential Review Committee, chaired by Trustee Brian Fannon.
Interviews with 75 people across campus and the larger community will take place the week of Nov. 12 and will provide Ross with valuable information that can help him grow as president. They will be interviewed by the three-person Presidential Review Committee chaired by Trustee Brian Fannon.
FA President Laura Frey; Tim Connors, professor of communication and dramatic arts; and Joshua Smith, associate professor of philosophy and religion and FA president-elect were selected to take part in the interview process on Nov. 13.
All three confirmed via email that they have been selected to participate, but said they do not know yet what that process might be like.
According to an email sent by Frey to the FA, the FA will create its own performance review survey of Ross. Frey asked FA members for input regarding topics and specific questions to be included. The survey is expected to be released in mid-November.
The FA will also conduct its own performance review survey of Ross in mid-November. The FA Executive Board is currently seeking input from its members on review area topics and specific questions to be included in the survey.
Presidential Review Committee member and Trustee John Hurd said presidential reviews have been done in the past. Ross was reviewed following his first and second years as president, Ross told Central Michigan Life last week.
“It is part of the board policy that the president receives a board review every three years. This is the end of Ross’ first three years in office,” Hurd told CM Life.
Stakeholders to participate will include academic deans, randomly selected faculty and staff members, student leaders from SGA and RHA, and other important figure across campus and throughout the community. Individuals not interviewed are also encouraged to send in their feedback to the three-person Presidential Review Committee.
Following the completion of the interviews, the committee will compile a report to submit at the Dec. 6 Board of Trustees meeting, where Hurd expects most of the information to be made public.
Ross said this review is standard policy, and has nothing to do with tensions between the faculty and administration last year during contract negotiations.
“I don’t think the review has anything to do with last year at all,” Ross told CM Life during a meeting last week. “It just has to happen between years three and five, and the board chose to do it this year.
