TU Students To Hold Vote Of No Confidence In School's Administration

Students at the University of Tulsa could vote no confidence this week in the school's administration.

"We hope that they take our votes into account," said Robert Steere, a senior.

Steere is a member of TU Students for Responsible Change, an organization that actively opposes the direction they feel the University is going. Steere says it all started last year when the University announced True Commitment, which will trim low-demand academic programs and revise some curriculum.

"We're really passionate to try and preserve the arts and science majors here,” said Steere. “We feel very strongly that the University is headed in a pretty horrid direction."

So last month, the organization started a petition to have a confidence/no-confidence vote for students.

They needed five percent of students to sign but got nearly double. Barring any setbacks, an online vote should come later this week. Freshman John Schoenhals helped gather the signatures.

"I support the faculty and the students because I think it's the most important part of the University," said Schoenhals.

The vote comes after TU faculty voted no confidence in President Gerard Clancy and Provost Janet Levit late last year. Clancy has since resigned for medical reasons, so Levit is now acting president.

"There need to be significant administrative changes for us to go forward and be happy," said Steere.

While it's unclear what this vote could mean, in the 1990s, then TU president Robert Donaldson resigned after a vote of no confidence.

The University sent a statement about the vote saying;

"Interim President Janet Levit looks forward to building a positive relationship with the Student Association and the entire student body."