WVU Faculty Senate set to hold vote of no-confidence in Gee, Reed

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) - The West Virginia University Faculty Senate is set to introduce a resolution on a vote of no-confidence in WVU President Gordon Gee and Provost Maryanne Reed.

The resolution cites the administration’s refusal to issue a campus-wide COVID-19 vaccine mandate despite votes by faculty and students to do so.

It also alleges the administration has failed to engage in transparent, inclusive hiring practices, among other things.

Gee came under scrutiny last month after his name was included on a list of advisors for the University of Austin.

The Faculty Senate is set to meet Monday.

You can read the full resolution below:

“WHEREAS the Gee-Reed administration has refused to institute a COVID vaccine mandate despite calls that they do so by a 85%-15% vote of the Faculty Assembly, a joint WVU/Marshall Faculty Senate resolution, a 59%-38% vote in favor of the vaccine mandate by the WVU student body and a formal 20-7 vote of the WVU Student Government Association, even in the face of a record of thousands of members of the Mountaineer community testing positive for COVID 19 during the global pandemic and the fact that WVU already requires its students to be vaccinated against several illnesses

WHEREAS the Gee-Reed administration has refused to engage in open, inclusive, systematic practices for hiring qualified candidates for its senior administrative team, including in units and positions that are as crucial for ensuring safe, respectful, and inclusive workplaces as the Provost’s Office, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and campus president

WHEREAS the Gee-Reed administration has failed to carry out a transparent Academic Transformation process that avails itself of the expertise of the faculty, Chairs, and Directors, considers and respects professional norms, respects the administrative time and effort spent on these mandated tasks, references the full scope of disciplines associated with other R1 universities, or is centered within a larger framework that clearly communicates the future vision of the university, the efficient allocation of resources therein, and why programs that are eliminated are of especially limited value

WHEREAS the Gee-Reed administration has failed to respect either professional norms or relevant academic qualifications and expertise when filling top-tier university positions leaving it in a weakened position to effectively carry out its mission with respect to poor communication and implementation of initiatives, damaging campus culture and morale, and inherently devaluing the credentials it is asking students to pay for

WHEREAS the Gee-Reed administration has exhibited a pattern of failing to respect shared governance and working outside of professional norms that has broad implications for campus climate, the reputation of the university, and the university’s commitment both to providing a high-quality education and to carrying out first-rate scholarship

Be it Resolved that the Faculty Senate of West Virginia University has no confidence in the E. Gordon Gee-Maryanne Reed administration”