The tension was thick between DePauw faculty and President Mark McCoy during the beginning of the December faculty meeting on Monday. Two professors said they felt President McCoy lacked respect when communicating with faculty members on new undisclosed initiatives the University is planning.
After President McCoy gave his remarks, professor Nahyan Fancy criticized President McCoy about the lack of transparency between the administration and faculty. Fancy’s critique resulted in a tense exchange between the two. Their exchange led to Professor Glenn Kueker chastising the President for a lack of respect. A tense moment of silence followed the exchange before the meeting resumed.
President McCoy spoke about the current efforts he is making toward petitioning legislators about issues affecting higher education, including DACA and the tax bill. On Tuesday, an editorial written by President McCoy was published in the Washington Post’s Grade Point, an education blog. The article was about DACA and was titled “Let’s not play politics with the lives of dreamers.” President McCoy is working with Wabash College’s president and Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory to lobby legislators.
Another thing discussed was the current tax bill is in reconciliation committees after passing through the House of Representatives and Senate. However, DePauw is no longer affected by the endowment tax because the requirements were raised in the edited bill passed through the Senate. DePauw would have had to pay taxes on any capital gained in the endowment.
Along with the updates from the President, the faculty meeting discussed language changes in the student handbook, updates from the writing curriculum committee, and Anne Harris, vice president for academic affairs, gave her announcements. She was excited to announce a gift from alum Bill Asher to establish an office of undergraduate research.
There will not be another faculty meeting until Spring 2018 on Feb. 5.