Mount St. Mary's president resigns after faculty protests
March 01, 2016
Simon Newman has resigned his post as president of Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland, two weeks after the school's faculty voted overwhelmingly to seek his removal.
Newman had drawn fire first by suggesting that struggling students should be quickly ousted, then by firing professors who opposed his policies. In mid-February the school's board of trustees expressed support for the embattled president, but the faculty voted 87 to 3 in favor of a call for his resignation.
In announcing his decision to step down, Newman said that the controversy surrounding him had "become too great of a distraction to our mission of educating students." The board of trustees named Karl Einolf, the dean of the business school, as acting president.
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Further information:
- Simon Newman Resigns as President of Mount St. Mary’s (Chronicle of Higher Education)
- Mount St. Mary’s president Simon Newman resigns (Catholic World Report)
- Mount St. Mary’s faculty demands president's removal; trustees and students indicate support (CWN, 2/15)
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Posted by: Richard Cross -
Mar. 01, 2016 4:55 PM ET USA
The resignation of Newman was right, just, and too late. Newman should not have been even considered a contender for the job, let alone be hired--his resume was totally unsuited for the position. The central question remains: when do we see the resignation of the Chairman of the Board, Mr. John E. Coyne, III ? And the even more fundamental question: Why are there NO professors/educators on the BOT?
