YSU Academic Senate rejects resolution blasting interim provost Abraham

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Youngstown State University’s Academic Senate cast its support to interim Provost Martin Abraham by voting against a resolution of no confidence in his leadership.

Reorganization of colleges and the honors program without “meaningful consultation with students, faculty or staff” prompted the resolution, which was an amended version of one tabled from the senate’s December meeting.

The first version had called for no confidence in the entire administration.

Michael K. Jerryson, assistant professor in the department of philosophy and religious studies, made the motion Wednesday to pass the second version.

In response to a question about why it had changed, he said that “we want to be careful about where we point our fingers.”

“There’s a lot of good work within the administration,” he said, adding that he didn’t want “to lump others in with one person who is the problem.”

The resolution said that Abraham, who is an academic senator and was present during the vote, did not exercise oversight in a manner that reflects respect for shared governance.

Shared governance requires appropriate consultation with students, faculty and staff before important decisions are made, and it is central to YSU’s ability to achieve its teaching, research and service missions, it said.

Senators, who help set academic policies at the university, include 70 faculty members, 15 administrators and 15 students.

Before the vote, they debated whether the resolution was a good or bad idea.

Read more about the action in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.