Faculty emails survey regarding confidence in WKU leadership

Kirk Atkinson, chair of WKU’s University Senate, speaks during a meeting on Jan. 17. The University Senate voted to change its name to the Faculty Senate on May 9.

Rebekah Alvey

A survey gauging current confidence in WKU leadership was sent out to faculty through email Wednesday.

The email, sent from Patrick Brown, an instructor in the department of Mathematics, said the survey was created after brainstorming with other faculty senators. This was sent out a day before the special called University Senate meeting.

The survey asks faculty what their “primary college affiliation” is and if they are currently confident in the leadership of President Timothy Caboni and Provost Terry Ballman.

University Senate chair Kirk Atkinson announced he had received 14 signatures from senators to call the special meeting. The minimum number required in the senate charter is 10 signatures.

While Atkinson did not know specifically what would be discussed at the special called meeting, he said in the email that the topic is restricted to “Concerns about, Implications of, and Potential Responses to Recent Administrative Decisions.”

Shortly after the survey was sent out, Atkinson emailed faculty and said the Senate Executive Committee or the full Senate did not initiate the survey. Therefore he said it is not sanctioned by the University Senate.

The special called meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 3:45 p.m. in the Grise Hall Auditorium.

News Editor Rebekah Alvey can be reached at 270-745-6011 and [email protected]. Follow Rebekah Alvey on Twitter at @bekah_alvey.