Meghann Anderson
Staff writer
In the next two weeks, student senate members will be evaluating University President Randy Dunn.
Jeremiah Johnson, president of the Student Government Association, said the survey will be going out shortly and the evaluations will be completed prior to the March 2 Board of Regents meeting.
The University held voting for the presidential assessment last November to gain community feedback on Dunn’s actions.
The ballot was posted on myGate and open to faculty who had a rank of instructor, lecturer or higher. The ballot, organized by the Faculty Senate, also plans the annual assessment of the provost, deans and chairs of all departments.
The results of the 2011 presidential assessment are as follows: 27.45 percent of the faculty agreed Dunn did well supporting the needs of the University, while 20.59 percent agreed the president made sure the funds Murray State was receiving were being put to good use. As for the positive spirit Dunn encourages within the faculty, 20.59 percent agreed about his performance.
Phil Schooley, online adviser and staff regent, worked with the University staff and on the survey. He said a total of 617 faculty and staff members submitted their survey and 597 completed the president’s section.
“We sent out 1,206 surveys and received back 617 for 51.2 percent return down just a little from last year,” Schooley said.
Josh Jacobs, chief of staff, said the evaluation of campus leadership is positive for the campus.
“It facilitates open discussion of the strengths and challenges facing leaders and the institution, providing the opportunity to improve,” Jacobs said.
The goal of the assessment is to evaluate the president and the University – to show how they can be improved.
Johan Koren, associate professor of education and vice-president of Faculty Senate, said that body arranges an annual assessment by the faculty of the president, provost, deans and department chairs.
“It is really a four-year performance review,” Koren said. “What the board uses it as is really a way to define how people who work under the president’s leadership feel about his leadership.”
Only Dunn was reviewed last fall. Other members of the administration such as department chairs and deans will be reviewed this semester before the March 2 board meeting.
Koren said the University values faculty and teachers.
“However, because of problems with the administration of paper questionnaires and transition to an electronic solution, this has not taken place for several years,” Koren said.