Ed dean gets to stay
Courtney Rakers
Issue date: 7/27/05 Section: News
Despite a unanimous vote by the 10 members of the education school committee, Provost Sharon Hahs has announced that School of Education Dean Elliot Lessen will remain in his position for at least two more years.
Illinois Education Association organizer David Vitoff said he has learned the dean's tenure will be extended for two years, but that the dean is on probation and will be evaluated yearly while on probation.
Hahs said the dean would be remaining with the university. She added that the dean was not on probation.
"That's not a term we use," Hahs said. "He has areas of improvement that he will be working on, but he has been fully retained."
According to Vitoff, members of the committee have been instructed to refer all media inquiries to SIUE News Service.
Hahs said it was standard protocol for the university to refer all media calls to the Office of Public Affairs.
Vitoff, however, expressed concern over the orders.
"(The committee members are) equally disturbed by being told they can't share what's going on at a public university with the public," Vitoff said Tuesday. "People are troubled. This is someone who they have been very critical of and now they have to work with him for another two years and that makes them uncomfortable."
Public Affairs Director Greg Conroy said Hahs had taken all parts of the evaluation into consideration.
"(Hahs) took the evaluation into consideration in the formal review process," Conroy said. "The faculty and staff voted to retain the dean but the 10-person committee voted against it. After looking over the School of Education for the last four years, she decided to retain him."
Conroy added that Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift had agreed with Hahs' recommendation.
Vitoff said he believed the decision could cause concern for some faculty members.
"By using the process, they thought he'd be gone and they'd get a breath of fresh air," Vitoff said. "Now they have to work with him for another two years."
Vitoff added that the dean and the provost are the people who make decision on faculty tenure.
Illinois Education Association organizer David Vitoff said he has learned the dean's tenure will be extended for two years, but that the dean is on probation and will be evaluated yearly while on probation.
Hahs said the dean would be remaining with the university. She added that the dean was not on probation.
"That's not a term we use," Hahs said. "He has areas of improvement that he will be working on, but he has been fully retained."
According to Vitoff, members of the committee have been instructed to refer all media inquiries to SIUE News Service.
Hahs said it was standard protocol for the university to refer all media calls to the Office of Public Affairs.
Vitoff, however, expressed concern over the orders.
"(The committee members are) equally disturbed by being told they can't share what's going on at a public university with the public," Vitoff said Tuesday. "People are troubled. This is someone who they have been very critical of and now they have to work with him for another two years and that makes them uncomfortable."
Public Affairs Director Greg Conroy said Hahs had taken all parts of the evaluation into consideration.
"(Hahs) took the evaluation into consideration in the formal review process," Conroy said. "The faculty and staff voted to retain the dean but the 10-person committee voted against it. After looking over the School of Education for the last four years, she decided to retain him."
Conroy added that Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift had agreed with Hahs' recommendation.
Vitoff said he believed the decision could cause concern for some faculty members.
"By using the process, they thought he'd be gone and they'd get a breath of fresh air," Vitoff said. "Now they have to work with him for another two years."
Vitoff added that the dean and the provost are the people who make decision on faculty tenure.
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