Lock Haven faculty, coaches to take no-confidence vote on Commonwealth University president

Dec. 2, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Kathryn Morton,

or 717-236-7486, Ext. 3007

Faculty members and coaches at the Lock Haven campus of Commonwealth University are slated to take a no-confidence vote on University President Bashar Hanna in early February. The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties' Lock Haven chapter executive council voted in late November to send the vote to chapter members.

"Every indication is that our members are ready to take a stand," Lock Haven Chapter President Dr. Stanley Berard said. "A cascade of university-level decisions has compromised our day-to-day ability to guide and teach students. The retaliation verdict has further undermined employees' trust in management."

APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash last month issued a statement calling for Hanna's presidency to end.

"For some time, the fledgling consolidated university has had budget woes, declining enrollment, hiring issues, major technical failures, various leadership crises, and sinking morale," Mash said. "And while those are issues that would lead a rational person to wonder why he is still president, after a jury found him liable for wrongful termination, there are no more excuses."

Lock Haven APSCUF's scheduled vote follows months of APSCUF efforts to convince authority to do what is in the best interest of the university and its students. APSCUF's Commonwealth University chapter presidents and Mash have expressed their concerns to the council of trustees, State System leadership, and to Hanna.

"We went directly to these entities and said as little in public as possible for as long as possible because we did not want to disrupt students or raise concerns about the quality of education available at Commonwealth University," Mash said. "But now this dearth of leadership is affecting students too much to remain silent. State APSCUF supports this vote of no confidence in the Commonwealth president as a starting point."

Mash called upon the Commonwealth University council of trustees to vote as well.

"If the council of trustees wants to support Hanna, they should do so in a public meeting with a roll-call vote," he said.

APSCUF represents about 5,000 faculty and coaches at the State System campuses: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester.

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