GSC President Reveals Chancellor Search Insights; Graduate Senate Votes ‘No Confidence’

By Talbert Toole
Lifestyle Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com

The resolution passed 18 to 3. It mimics that of the now passed resolution by the Faculty Senate but goes further into detail for the explanation of the condemnation. Photo by Talbert Toole.

Twenty-one graduate senators gathered in the Weems Auditorium of the University of Mississippi Law School Tuesday night where they passed a resolution of “No Confidence” in the Institution of Higher Learning and the appointment of Chancellor Glenn Boyce.

The resolution passed 18 to 3. It mimics that of the newly passed resolution by the Faculty Senate but goes further into detail for the explanation of the condemnation. 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE GRADUATE STUDENT COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI VOTES

1) “NO CONFIDENCE” IN THE PROCESS EMPLOYED BY THE IHL
BOARD IN SEARCHING FOR A NEW CHANCELLOR OF THE
UNIVERSITY;

2)“NO CONFIDENCE” IN THE IHL BOARD BY REASON OF ITS
CONDUCT IN CONNECTION WITH THAT SEARCH PROCESS; AND

3) “NO CONFIDENCE” IN THE APPOINTMENT OF DR. GLENN BOYCE AS CHANCELLOR.

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE GRADUATE STUDENT COUNCIL RECOMMENDS THAT THE AFORESAID APPOINTMENT BE VACATED AND THAT THE SEARCH PROCESS BE REINSTITUTED.

Although the resolution passed, it can still be vetoed within the executive branch by GSC President Andrew Herren.

Hottytoddy.com reached out to Herren after the vote for comment; however, Herren did not reply to the inquiry prior to publication. 

Maya Kaup, the alternative senator for the biology department, told Hottytoddy.com that Tuesday’s night process regarding the passing of the resolution was interesting because emotions among the senators and the executives were high.  

“I’m pretty proud of us getting through that process even though there is a lot of emotions and, I’d say, bickering in the room,” she said. 

Herren spoke at length to the senate floor regarding the resolutions and Boyce. Although the president must be present at special sessions, Kaup disagreed with the amount of time Herren took up on the floor.

“Ultimately, it is the senators’ voice that matters,” she said. “We are the lifeblood of the student council. It is not the executive board, so we should be the ones discussing these resolutions.”

GSC President Advocates for Boyce

Prior to the vote on the now passed resolution, senators debated on which draft would be released.

Herren introduced the first draft, which he told the senators was simply a “template” to be used; however, as president, Herren does not have the ability to submit legislation. That power lies within the Graduate Senate—the legislative branch.

Although the draft was deemed controversial among some senators, it was voted upon to remain as one of the final drafts for release.

Herren’s draft highly differed from that of the now passed resolution. It did condemn the IHL’s process but fully supported Boyce as a qualified candidate for chancellor. As GSC president, Herren was selected to serve on the Chancellor Search Advisory Committee for the new chancellor.

Boyce was originally hired to serve as a consultant to the IHL. He was tasked with reaching out to the UM community about what characteristics they wanted in the next chancellor.

“I was actually the first person Dr. Boyce met when he got to campus,” Herren said. 

As Mississippi Today recently reported, Boyce was paid $87,234.85 by the University of Mississippi Foundation. This amount included $165 per hour fee and travel expenses. Herren said it has been suggested that Boyce turn that consultant compensation into a scholarship fund.

Kristin Teston, the senator for the English department, asked Herren if Boyce mentioned turning the money into a scholarship fund.

“I’m not at liberty to tell you what he said,” Herren said. 

Herren continued to speak on how Boyce met with powerful alumni and donors regarding what they wanted to see in a new chancellor. That information was then given to the Martin Baker of Buffkin/Baker, the firm tasked with spearheading the national search. He then reached out to the nominees to instruct them on how to apply. That firm was tasked with simply finding candidates, Herren said. 

“Most of what I’m telling you would be under everybody’s NDA,” Herren said. “But there was one major problem, confidentiality.”

Herren said there were many things he was seeing that had already hit the media outlets before returning home from the search committee meetings, such as “major confidentiality leaks,” which caused a problem in the initial search from the very beginning. 

One of the major leaks Herren mentioned was the final eight candidates vying for the position of chancellor.

“Nobody wants to be outed when they are applying for a position when they are at another school or law firm,” Herren said. 

Herren said this led to applicants pulling their applications. 

“That’s what truly killed the chancellor search from the very beginning,” he said. 

Now with a very small pool of applicants to choose from, Boyce gave the IHL an ultimatum that he would only accept the position of chancellor if all other candidates were inadequate, according to Herren. 

“There was one man left,” Herren said. “And that was Chancellor Boyce.”