Aug. 4, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Kathryn Morton, or 717-236-7486
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education this morning named Clarion University of Pennsylvania President Karen M. Whitney its interim chancellor, beginning Sept. 12. The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties has released the following statement from its president, Dr. Kenneth M. Mash:
“In the short time since the board’s announcement, I have already been inundated with phone calls and emails expressing puzzlement, concern, and annoyance with regard to the board’s choice of Dr. Whitney to be the interim chancellor. Clarion University has continued to struggle under Dr. Whitney’s leadership, and we have not heard her articulate a solid plan for turning the tide. Campus morale is low, and the Clarion faculty have repeatedly expressed their concern about Dr. Whitney’s leadership style, her priorities, her lack of support for the academic enterprise, and her defensiveness in the wake of criticism. It is difficult to square the selection, given that the NCHEMS report stressed the need for all parties to pull together for the sake of our students.
“Nevertheless, I look forward to meeting with Dr. Whitney soon so that I can directly articulate the concerns of faculty and coaches to her with hope that we can forge a new, healthy, and cooperative working relationship. We all hope that we can quickly turn the page and that Dr. Whitney will soon reach out to all constituencies and display the sensible, respectful, strong, and intelligent leadership that our System requires. Our universities were designed to offer a high-quality, affordable education to working-class Pennsylvanians, and we all must work together so that we can make that promise a reality.”