Resolution of No Confidence in the Leadership of Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Traki L. Taylor

We have created this draft to inspire conversation at the Faculty Assembly, and to provide direction to the Senate if we go to a no confidence vote. Please consider it a working draft.

        --Concerned Frostburg Faculty Members

Resolution of No Confidence in the Leadership of Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Traki L. Taylor

Frostburg State University

WHEREAS we affirm, with USM policy I-6.00 that “shared governance procedures and principles apply to all levels within USM,” that the Faculty assembly has a responsibility to hold the administration accountable for the effective and ethical leadership of the University.

WHEREAS we affirm the need for a visionary leader who can manage “Academic Program Transformation” and implement a dynamic Academic Success Network while demonstrating fiscal responsibility. 

WHEREAS we affirm the need for a leader who can ensure a fair decision-making process regarding tenure and promotion of faculty and who can facilitate and support faculty professional development.

WHEREAS Provost Traki L. Taylor has failed to build a foundation for providing innovative and visionary academic leadership by: 

• Failing to effectively and regularly communicate with the faculty.

• Interfering with the responsibilities of department chairs.

• Not taking the necessary steps to build community within the Academic Affairs unit, but rather fostering a climate of competition and mistrust.

• Delaying responses to faculty petitions for innovation, such as failing to provide a timely response to the Ad Hoc Program Committee report. 

• Ignoring department-level decisions and documented evidence for untenured faculty renewal forcing departments to continue employing problematic faculty who endanger program quality and accreditation, display uncollegial behavior, and negatively impact department morale. 

WHEREAS Provost Traki L. Taylor has mismanaged the human resources of Ort Library as well as the three colleges at the University by: 

• Neglecting deadline-based tasks and routine approvals until the last minute and then demanding to receive information on short–often less than 24-hour–notice. In many cases, the information is already in the hands of the Provost’s Office, yet the demands are worded as if the Provost has been waiting on the information the whole time. 

• Failing to send out tenure and promotion letters to faculty on time. 

• Holding double standards for remote work by routinely working remotely while requiring other personnel to work in person every day. 

• Failed to address long-term documented concerns from the Department of Educational Professions concerning the leadership of Dean Boyce Williams. 

WHEREAS Provost Traki L. Taylor has demonstrated a lack of competencies in listening, communication, transparency, consensus building, conflict management, and collaborative problem-solving by: 

• Publicly maintaining that she is available while in practice failing to respond to emails, even with reminders sent, or be available for meetings.

• Taking a side in the conflict between Dean Williams and Educational Professions faculty when she was serving as a mediator. 

• Disparaging faculty members to their colleagues.

WHEREAS Provost Traki L. Taylor has repeatedly disregarded the principles of shared governance by making major decisions without consulting the Faculty Senate or other relevant stakeholders by:

• Removing the Chair of Educational Professions without holding or participating in a review meeting with the individual prior to the removal. 

• Failing to respond to or act on recommendations from Faculty Appeals or Faculty Grievance Committees in a timely manner. 

WHEREAS even in her two-year tenure at Frostburg State University, these actions have eroded trust and created a sense of disenfranchisement among the faculty.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the faculty of Frostburg State University expresses a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Provost Traki L. Taylor.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Faculty Assembly calls on the Chancellor and the Board of Regents to take appropriate action to address the concerns outlined above. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Chancellor, the Board of Regents, the Provost, and the faculty, staff, and students of Frostburg State University.