Students, faculty and alumni at West Virginia University continue to apply pressure on President Mike Garrison to resign following a no-confidence vote from the Faculty Senate on Monday.
Students, faculty and alumni at West Virginia University continue to apply pressure on President Mike Garrison to resign following a no-confidence vote from the Faculty Senate on Monday.
A new faculty-led group, Mountaineers for Integrity and Responsibility, formed Wednesday with just such a goal.
Judging from the overwhelming response from alumni, faculty and students, "this is something an awful lot of people are interested in," said Michael Perone, psychology professor and elected vice-chair of MIR.
He said the group's first meeting attracted more than two dozen faculty members, students and alumni, enraged over the degree scandal involving Heather Bresch, Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter.
During their first meeting on Wednesday, the members of MIR discussed its plan to protest at graduation ceremonies May 16-18.
Perone said group members discussed giving students stickers to wear on their graduation caps or having a quiet demonstration outside the commencement venues.
"We didn't want to do anything that would disrupt or distract from the achievements of the graduates," he said.
The group's goals, Perone said, are to encourage the removal of Garrison from office, work toward the installation of a qualified successor, and influence the enactment of legislation to change the selection process for new presidents and members of the Board of Governors.
"In the short term, however, MIR intends to keep the pressure on Garrison to resign because of the enormous, negative long-term impact of flawed and compromised leadership on everything from graduate student recruitment to fundraising to awarding of grants to hiring new, dynamic faculty,'' the group said in a written statement.
Perone said it is apparent the faculty voice has little weight in the overall decision and policy making at the university.
In 2007, the Faculty Senate voted against Garrison's appointment in favor of another candidate. The university's governing board approved Garrison's appointment as president.
On Monday, the senate voted overwhelmingly for Garrison's resignation in the wake of a report that concluded high-ranking university officials used "seriously flawed" judgment to award Bresch an executive master's in business administration degree that she did not earn.
But Garrison has no plans to leave, and the governing board has backed his decision to remain in office.
"President Garrison has defied calls for his resignation from faculty, staff, students, alumni, and donors," Boyd Edwards, physics professor and chairman of MIR, said in a written statement. "WVU's recovery relies on his removal from office. We call on Mountaineers everywhere to assist. The honor and integrity of WVU is at stake."
Students, faculty and alumni at West Virginia University continue to apply pressure on President Mike Garrison to resign following a no-confidence vote from the Faculty Senate on Monday.
A new faculty-led group, Mountaineers for Integrity and Responsibility, formed Wednesday with just such a goal.
Judging from the overwhelming response from alumni, faculty and students, "this is something an awful lot of people are interested in," said Michael Perone, psychology professor and elected vice-chair of MIR.
He said the group's first meeting attracted more than two dozen faculty members, students and alumni, enraged over the degree scandal involving Heather Bresch, Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter.
During their first meeting on Wednesday, the members of MIR discussed its plan to protest at graduation ceremonies May 16-18.
Perone said group members discussed giving students stickers to wear on their graduation caps or having a quiet demonstration outside the commencement venues.
"We didn't want to do anything that would disrupt or distract from the achievements of the graduates," he said.
The group's goals, Perone said, are to encourage the removal of Garrison from office, work toward the installation of a qualified successor, and influence the enactment of legislation to change the selection process for new presidents and members of the Board of Governors.
"In the short term, however, MIR intends to keep the pressure on Garrison to resign because of the enormous, negative long-term impact of flawed and compromised leadership on everything from graduate student recruitment to fundraising to awarding of grants to hiring new, dynamic faculty,'' the group said in a written statement.
Perone said it is apparent the faculty voice has little weight in the overall decision and policy making at the university.
In 2007, the Faculty Senate voted against Garrison's appointment in favor of another candidate. The university's governing board approved Garrison's appointment as president.
On Monday, the senate voted overwhelmingly for Garrison's resignation in the wake of a report that concluded high-ranking university officials used "seriously flawed" judgment to award Bresch an executive master's in business administration degree that she did not earn.
But Garrison has no plans to leave, and the governing board has backed his decision to remain in office.
"President Garrison has defied calls for his resignation from faculty, staff, students, alumni, and donors," Boyd Edwards, physics professor and chairman of MIR, said in a written statement. "WVU's recovery relies on his removal from office. We call on Mountaineers everywhere to assist. The honor and integrity of WVU is at stake."
That sentiment is behind the call from full-time faculty at WVU for a University Assembly.
This is the first time in more than 30 years that instructors at the university have called for the special assembly, Perone said.
The assembly is a special meeting of all full-time faculty - about 1,400 at the university. For such a meeting to take place, 5 percent of full-time faculty must call for it.
As of yet, there is no formal agenda for the May 14 meeting, Perone said. But Garrison is the main agenda item on faculty members' minds, he said.
Students have moved their displeasure with the university's current administration to the Internet.
Timothy Cooper, a senior studying music composition at WVU, is one of several students who have created a Facebook group calling for Garrison's resignation. Cooper is also a member of MIR.
Facebook is a popular online social networking site for teens and college students.
Cooper's Facebook group, "Mountaineers for a New Administration," asks other students to speak out about the Bresch controversy.
"As WVU students, we play a central role in expressing our opinions through group protests and demonstrations," he wrote. "I realize that this is finals week, but please, if you have a few minutes, join whoever you see on campus protesting Garrison's continued presidency."
As of Thursday, the group had 229 members.
Other Facebook groups include: "Email Mike Garrison and Respectfully Ask for His Resignation," "Remove the Cronies ... Support the Faculty Senate" and "Garrison Must Go."
Cooper, who is the son of 2nd Congressional District candidate Thorton Cooper of South Charleston, said students have talked about protesting during graduation ceremonies next week. He said nothing has been organized yet, but several groups are trying to lead an effort.
To contact staff writer Veronica Nett, use e-mail of call 348-5113.
