Temple faculty union to consider vote of no confidence

Temple University’s faculty union next week will consider whether to hold a vote of no confidence in Jason Wingard, the college’s president, and other top administrators, representatives from the organization said Tuesday.

The decision to advance the measure comes amid an ongoing graduate student strike and safety concerns at a school still reeling from last month’s fatal shooting of campus police officer Christopher Fitzgerald.

Members of the Temple Association of University Professionals, which represents professors, librarians and other academics, will gather Friday, March 17, to discuss a possible vote, which, if approved, would be conducted the following week.

“We are moving forward because of the overwhelming concerns we have received about this administration,” Jeffrey Doshna, TAUP’s president, said in a statement. “This is a democratic process, which gives our members a voice to make their concerns known.”

A Temple spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. After news broke of a possible no confidence vote last week, Wingard referred to the development as “disheartening” in a letter to students and staff.

“Our leadership team has worked together for the last 18 months to address the long-term challenges the university faces,” he said in the message. “We have made a series of analytical, data-driven, yet hard decisions that are painful — including actions on staffing, compensation, and budget ‘right-sizing’ to accommodate national, declining enrollment trends.”

More than 500 TAUP members attended a town hall meeting Friday, voicing concerns about the handling of the graduate student strike, faculty cuts and the university’s finances, the union said. TAUP leaders met Monday and decided to hold a meeting to debate and authorize the no confidence measure.

What impact the vote would have, if any, is unclear, though it could increase pressure on Wingard, who was hired to lead the university in the summer of 2021.

Negotiators from his administration were scheduled to meet Tuesday with the Temple University Graduate Students Association – the latest bargaining session aimed at bringing an end to a strike that began five weeks ago.

TUGSA members, who have been pushing for improved wages, benefits and family leave, overwhelmingly rejected a proposed agreement last month.

Striking teaching and research assistants have lost access to health coverage and tuition remission, and Temple has informed them that they will have to pay spring semester costs by Thursday or face a $100 fine and the inability to register for future classes.