Emory Faculty Holds Confidence Vote on President

Should James Wagner be removed as president of Emory University? Faculty members at the school’s College of Arts and Sciences are voting on that very question this week.

The nonbinding vote has no direct effect, but some professors say a vote of no confidence would pressure the university’s Board of Trustees to reconsider its support of Wagner.

University Senate President and biology professor Gray Crouse expects a close vote. He says many humanities professors still resent last year’s announced departmental cuts.

“They perceive the humanities as being under attack,” said Crouse. “My own perception is that is not correct. I think both the dean of the college and the president are very supportive but clearly there’s some faculty who don’t believe that to be the case.”