While there is much in your editorial of Tuesday’s edition about which we would differ, one statement really disturbs me–I think understandably. It is totally untrue to say that I stated that “faculty members have no place in governance.”

If you can produce one shred of evidence–a tape or transcript–that shows I made such a statement, I will eat my hat on the steps of Lowden Hall!

The truth, as Dr. Moody, Dr. Giles and others will surely attest, is just the reverse. When asked why a phrase in the Board Policy insuring faculty, student and staff involvement in university governance had been stricken, my response was only because it was redundant. I added that if the “involvement” phrase was preferred, I would be more than happy to recommend its inclusion.

Above all, I made it clear that it was never the purpose of the Board Policy changes to in any way alter such involvement on the campuses.

Perhaps you were confused by an anecdote I related from my years as a faculty member at NIU. The point of that story was that often times boards are concerned with matters that are of little interest to faculty, not that faculty have no role in governance.

Throughout my professional career, I have been a supporter of faculty, staff and student involvement in governance. To now be accused of the reverse because someone was not listening closely is annoying to say the least!

Roderick Groves

Chancellor

Board of Regents