By WPRO News and the Associated Press
The faculty union at the Community College of Rhode Island has overwhelmingly cast a no confidence vote in school President Meghan Hughes.
Associate professor Barbara Leasher tells the Providence Journal via email that 219 of 271 eligible voters submitted ballots in the vote that ended Monday. The motion passed 160-34, with 25 abstentions.
The motion said Hughes and other top administrators have “repeatedly failed in their leadership roles at the college to the detriment of our students,” and “lack the competence and demeanor required to fulfill their leadership roles” and should be removed.
The union is upset with the administration’s decision to introduce a winter term, which faculty say was poorly planned and lacked their input.
Hughes responded in a statement, saying she is disappointed in the vote but is “committed to advancing the progress CCRI has accomplished over the last nearly three years.” She touted “innovative and bold student success initiatives” and high graduation rates.
“With these accomplishments, I understand that our work has brought about change. Change, coupled with open contract negotiations, can be hard, and I believe that this vote reflects our ongoing effort to define who we are as a college, and who we want to become,” she said. “It serves as a reminder that we must continually evaluate how we engage and communicate with each other, and I commit to doing so. My team and I remain dedicated to working with the faculty and staff to advance the mission of CCRI, and to continue to build upon our accomplishments together to ensure all our students achieve success in the classroom, the workforce and our community.”
