KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Results should be announced Friday as professors at Western Michigan University decide on a vote of no confidence against President Edward Montgomery.
The WMU chapter of the American Association of University Professors President Cathryn Bailey tells MLive the action was presented to the union in November by the No Confidence Working Group, a group of about a dozen faculty volunteers from six of the seven university colleges.
According to a post on the AAUP website, the working group says no confidence vote is warranted because of falling enrollment, a lack of faculty involvement in decision making, staff shortages, falling staff morale, and a failure to prioritize the university’s academic mission, the post reads.
The working group also said the university’s latest rebranding initiative “brought embarrassing national attention to WMU.”
The faculty is considering a vote of no confidence just ahead of the WMU Board of Trustees considering a salary increase and merit-based bonus for Montgomery.
At their meeting Thursday, December 27, the board will vote whether to give Montgomery a one-time $75,000 bonus and increase his base salary by 1.5% to $493,290.
The salary increase would be effective retroactively to July 1, 2021.
Montgomery began as president at WMU in August 2017 and was initially granted a three-year contract with the university with a $450,000 annual salary. His current contract runs through June 30, 2025.
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