Weeks after some faculty members at Northern Virginia Community College took a 鈥渘o confidence鈥� vote in regards to President Anne Kress鈥� leadership, they鈥檙e now speaking out about recent policy decisions that they said are harming students.
In a memo sent to members of the college鈥檚 full-time, nine-month teaching faculty caucus on Friday afternoon, the group said decisions such as reducing summer classes, ignoring safety concerns and removing athletics programs are negatively impacting students.
Faculty members have spent years trying to get their concerns addressed, but they often get ignored, according to the memo, which was obtained by 海角社区app.
The outline of faculty concerns comes over two weeks after a vote on Kress鈥� leadership. On Oct. 1, 407 of the 604 caucus members participated. Nearly 66% voted 鈥渘o confidence,鈥� 9.8% voted against and 24.3% abstained.
and have both reported on the vote.
In response to a list of specific questions about the faculty concerns, Kress responded with a statement, calling this 鈥渁 time of great change and disruption in higher education, and I welcome the inclusion of all voices at NOVA 鈥� students, faculty and staff 鈥� in the conversations and work required to strengthen our college.鈥�
Since the pandemic eased, according to the memo, faculty members have been asking for students in online classes to take exams at in-person testing centers, as they did before COVID. However, in-person testing for those students hasn鈥檛 resumed, the memo said, and Kress鈥� office has downsized the testing centers and shortened their operating hours.
That move, the memo said, 鈥減articularly harmed NOVA students with federally-mandated accommodations.鈥�
The faculty members said leadership hasn鈥檛 addressed students鈥� plagiarism and use of artificial intelligence on campus and in online classes.
In a message to faculty at the college on Wednesday, David Dore, chancellor for the Virginia Community College System, said he鈥檚 appointing an external facilitator 鈥渢o work with NOVA鈥檚 various constituent groups to review the current state of the college鈥檚 shared governance and identify challenges and opportunities.鈥�
In that email, obtained by 海角社区app, Dore said he values 鈥渞espectful dialogue鈥� that prioritizes students鈥� needs.
海角社区app has contacted the VCCS for comment.
Kress has been the president of NOVA since 2020. The college enrolls over 70,000 students at its six campuses.
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