AAUP Urges Board of Trustees to Cancel U of SC Presidential Search

Today, Hans-Joerg Tiede, Associate Secretary, American Association of University Professors, sent a letter to John C. von Lehe Jr., Esq. Chairman, Board of Trustees, University of South Carolina, expressing grave concerns on the selection process of the university’s next President.

Citing the AAUP’s “Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities,” Mr. Tiege wrote, “The board’s evaluation resulted in a decision last April not to appoint any of the four finalists and instead to reopen the search. For the board to change course at this time and appoint General Caslen suggests that the faculty’s participation in the search process was merely for appearance’s sake and calls into question whether the search itself was conducted in good faith. Moreover, recent reports in the press raise the possibility that the board may instead appoint as president a candidate who was not among the four finalists, which would raise even more serious concerns, as such a selection would disregard the faculty’s appropriate role in the process entirely. "We would accordingly welcome your comments. If the facts recounted above are essentially correct, we join the faculty senate in urging the board of trustees “to cancel the current presidential search and begin an open and legitimate search process as described in its bylaws and as recommended by the American Association of University Professors.” The Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on General Caslen Friday morning at 10 AM.

A full copy of the letter can be found here (pdf).