DelVal University faculty vote no confidence in board of trustees

Ninety-three percent of the Faculty of Delaware Valley University-AAUP voted no confidence in the board of trustees, and in particular the leadership on Jan. 31, according to the union.
Over 80% of the members participated in “this historic vote,” the union said, with 93% voting no confidence in the board. The vote concluded in the late hours of Feb. 1.
“The frustration of the faculty is palpable, as this vote comes after concessions made by faculty in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic with no reciprocation from the board,” the college’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors said via email.
Asked to comment on the vote, the board of trustees issued a statement that said, in part, “There is little doubt that this vote, occurring amid ongoing labor negotiations between the university and its faculty union, is anything more than a bargaining tactic by the union.”
The union said reasons for no confidence include non-transparent budgetary decisions, failure to disclose conflicts of interest, and a failure to publicly post bylaws by which the board operates.

It said another reason for no confidence is the “unilateral” change in health care for faculty. Since Jan. 1, prescription prices have quadrupled for individual faculty, the union said. The DVU-AAUP union has also filed a grievance against the administration regarding changes in health care.
Faculty proposed solutions in this statement include increased board transparency and, “recognition of the work already being done by faculty and staff by not continuously demanding that employees bear the burden of increased workload, health care costs, retirement contributions, and cost of living without a commensurate increase in wages.”
In its statement, the board of trustees said, “The board has been clear that for DelVal to thrive in the years ahead, we must make the difficult decisions necessary to secure DelVal’s finances and position the institution for longterm success.
“Difficult times require tough decisions that may not be popular, but the board is united in its commitment to continue acting in the best interests of DelVal’s future.”

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