Pushback on UE Realignment, Calls for President’s Ouster
(photo courtesy of the University of Evansville)
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowLess than a week after the University of Evansville announced academic realignment plans, which would eliminate three departments and 17 majors, there is an online effort to remove UE President Christopher Pietruszkiewicz from office.
Our partners at WEHT-TV report a Change-dot-org petition has been created after the university announced the cuts last week. The petition calls for Pietruszkiewicz to resign or be fired.
According to the TV station, alum Nathan Elkins, who is an associate professor at Baylor University in Texas, wrote a letter to the UE Board of Trustees. The letter calls for more faculty involvement in the decision.
“I understand that some financial cuts need to be made at UE, but I ask you to allow faculty to have a significant and influential role in the decision-making process. The faculty know the programs and students the best and most successful universities are built around the model of shared governance,” said Elkins in his letter.
Under the proposed plan, the school would get rid of the departments of music, philosophy & religion, and electrical engineering and computer science. Faculty positions would also be eliminated.
“These changes are difficult, but they will allow us to continue to invest in areas of growth, make the university financially sustainable, and better able to support our students for years to come,” said Pietruszkiewicz in a statement last week.
Officials say all current students will be able to complete their majors. The changes would take effect for the fall semester of 2022.
View the TV report by clicking here.
