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Forums stir negative reactions from SGA
Lack of publicity, nature of search
angers senators |
by Justin
Boulmay
Staff Writer |
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| Peter Larkins | The Appalachian |
| Newland Residence Hall senator Hunter Palmer
said he has his disagreements about the way the search committee
conducts the search, which he said lacks student opinion and
involvement. |
Senate reactions were mixed Tuesday night after
Student Government Association (SGA) president Rachel A. Johnson
presented non-confidential information about the Chancellor Search
Committee to the senate.
Off-campus senator Justin W. Moore said the confidential nature
of the search is “disgusting.” Moore said he is angered
that no one outside the search committee may know who has applied
for the chancellor position.
“The fact that the search committee is preventing 99.9 percent
of students, faculty and staff from even knowing the names of those
seeking [the university’s] top job is outrageous,” he
said.
“Would students sit by if the Rules Committee sat in secret
and selected the SGA president? That’s what’s happening
now, but for a far more powerful position,” Moore said.
Johnson said Tuesday the committee closed the search to protect
both those who were applying for the chancellor position and the
security of their current jobs. The possibility of something like
that happening may prevent other potential candidates from applying
altogether, she said.
Johnson is the only student on the committee made up of faculty,
staff, alumni, Boone community members and participants on the Board
of Trustees.
Student participation on the committee has sparked concern.
“While I understand the [committee members are] professionals
… the fact that there is only one student, even a competent
student, worries me,” Winkler senator Corwyn D. Sergent said.
“In my estimation, selecting a new chancellor is an extraordinary
momentous event,” Newland senator Hunter B. Palmer said Friday.
Palmer said the search needs as much student opinion as the committee
can collect.
Palmer said members of the committee should be going around campus
and community seeking input and questions.
Johnson said Tuesday that students can e-mail her to present their
views regarding the new chancellor through a link on the SGA Web
site www.sga.appstate.edu.
Those emails would then be presented to the committee, Johnson said.
Senators also showed concern about advertising for the Sept. 15
open forums with the committee.
Justin R. Pittman, an off-campus senator, said he was upset that
the forums regarding the chancellor search were not better advertised.
The Appalachian reported a low student turnout to the forums.
“I found out from Rachel [Johnson] that they were holding forums,
and that’s because we’re involved in SGA,” Pittman
said.
“It seems strange that there are no more open forums that the
search committee is planning to hold, and so it seems that students’
options have been delegated to them, which is zero,” Sergent
said. |
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