A group of tenured faculty members urged for a vote of no confidence in the Rev. Bernard K. Knoth, S.J. on Monday, March 10 in Bobet Hall.

Attendees discussed various options and what action to take concerning the president; however, they did not pass a vote of no confidence.

The issue that prompted the meeting was Knoth’s recent appointment of Walter Harris Jr. as provost.

“A vote of no confidence is a recommendation from the faculty to the Board of Trustees, the president’s boss, to terminate his contract with the university. It’s a big deal,” said Anna Hall, former SGA president and music business senior.

According to Hall, a vote of no confidence would have had large ramifications for both students and faculty.

“This means that some members of the faculty disagreed with Father Knoth’s decision so much that they are willing to put the university in disorder,” Hall said.

She reiterated Knoth’s position and would not have called for a vote of no confidence.

“The sole decision maker is Father Knoth. He does take recommendations from the Provost search committee, but in the end it is up to him to determine what candidate will have the most positive impact on the university. In this case, it was Dr. Harris. I’m sure Father Knoth did what he thought was best for the university. It’s too bad that not everyone can accept that,” she said.

Bea Forlano, SGA president and management junior, stressed that the members of a faculty committee submitted the three candidates they chose.

“What the committee chair kept stressing was that they were giving him three names to select from, in no specific rank order,” she said. “I really think that ultimately it was his choice and he made the choice. I think we will see if he’s a good provost or not.”

According to Nancy Fix Anderson, professor of history, the meeting concerned “general issues of governance and faculty involvement.”

“About the specific matter of the provost selection-my impression is that, although many of the faculty were disappointed that Dr. Voigt was not chosen, because of her strong credentials and remarkable success as Interim Provost, the general feeling is that Father Knoth had the right to make his own selection from the names presented to him by the search committee,” she said.

The topic also popped up in the March 13 debates between SGA presidential and vice presidential candidates.

According to Chris Cameron, director the Danna Center and Student Activities, the question was based on a hypothetical situation to “gauge the presidential candidates’ ability to think on their feet and explain their thought process for making decisions.”

Another issue circulating up and down the grapevine concerns the fact that Harris will be the first African-American provost in the history of the university.

“The fact that the new provost is African-American has been widely acclaimed, given the almost total predominance of white men in the administration,” Anderson said.

“I think that’s something that everyone’s been talking about. I think that’s important – I think it’ll be a good thing,” Forlano said.

Forlano also said that increasing appreciation of diversity on campus has been a hot topic of late between faculty, staff and students.

“It’ll probably have positive effects on the university as a whole,” she said.