Students made their way into Brody Hall on Tuesday morning to begin casting their ballots in one of the most critical midterm elections in decades.
“This week is an opportunity to double down on our commitment and put action into place that will mobilize our community around stalking and gender-based violence awareness,” POR peer educator coordinator Alex Babbitt said in a press release. “‘It’s On Us’ is a reminder that change starts with each one of us.”
Two Board of Trustees seats are up for election. Voters will be able to choose up to two candidates. Election Day is Nov. 8 and voters can cast their ballot at their local precinct. For more information on where to vote, visit the city clerk's website or an on-campus satellite voting office.
“(Students are) the reason that I have been willing to be a president and in higher education to really have impact with students,” Stanley said. “The opportunity to meet with them, see their potential and watch them achieve.”
Vice chair Dan Kelly said the findings of the investigation confirm president emeritus Samuel L. Stanley Jr. has done little to address issues in the certification process over the past two years, while Stanley defended his position, saying there were "no surprises" in the report.
“On behalf of this great university, I decided to coin a new term ... it is called ‘stagility,’ the combination of stability but the ability to be agile,” Woodruff said. “So we need some stability on this campus but we need to not sit and be potted plants. We need to be able to move forward.”
Division between board members with eight individually strong beliefs about how MSU should run was a recipe for chaos responsible for pushing out President Stanley.
Members of Academic Governance said Trustee Pat O'Keefe's Oct. 28 comments "demonstrate a threat and danger to the operations of this university."
MSU President Samuel L. Stanley released an email stating his last day will be this Friday. Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs will step in as interim president on Nov. 5.
“You’re never going to be alone in this process,” Creative advertising sophomore Wanny Ng He said. “Sometimes it feels like you’re the only one feeling this way, but I guarantee you there are a lot of people who are feeling this way.”
Appointed interim president Teresa Woodruff recommended Associate Provost Thomas Jeitschko replace her. Also, members of the Steering Committee responded to Trustee Pat O'Keefe's comments at the last board meeting, calling them inappropriate.
"Woodruff has been one of the most open admin for the student body," Asian Pacific American Student Organization Rep. Connor Le said. "She's willing to meet with students to talk about advocacy issues ... I think that she will do a great job working and communicating with the student body of MSU to see what problems are happening."
"What we try to do is really center our spaces around how we can create a space where everybody feels like they belong, and they can really be themselves,” ICA Martin Lomax said.
The appointment of Provost Teresa K. Woodruff as interim president leaves ASMSU leaders and faculty senators feeling hopeful for the future.
Woodruff was appointed less than three weeks after President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. resigned citing a loss of confidence within the board.
The Board of Trustees will name the interim president on Oct. 31 at noon during a special meeting in room 401 of the Hannah Administration Building.
“I am tired of reading about the sexual transgressions of the faculty, which are like reading "50 Shades of Grey" and are as long as "Gone with the Wind," without knowing what the outcomes are of such behavior,” O’Keefe said.
Walking into room 401 of the Hannah Administration Building, the Board of Trustees carried the weight of no-confidence votes from the MSU community and even the university president. Trustee Brianna Scott called President Samuel L. Stanley's resignation “collateral damage” from ongoing miscommunication and distrust within the board. Board chair Dianne Byrum said she would not be rerunning for chair in 2023.
"Students have just seen major changes happen before their eyes with no answer," Kovach said. ASMSU demands the Board of Trustees better include students in the presidential search and Title IX affairs.
During academic committee meeting on Oct. 27, ASMSU discussed its expectations for the Board of Trustees and advocated for increasing OCAT accessibility and establishing pop-up vaccination clinics on campus.