By Nicole Breskin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — New York University faculty are fuming after the Board of Trustees reappointed President John Sexton to a seven-year term without a staff or student review.
“This makes me concerned about the future of the university,” said Robert Cohen, department chair and professor of social studies. “There’s no public dialogue, decisions are not transparent. Something is off about all this quick unilateral decision-making.”
The news was disseminated to the faculty in an e-mail sent from the board on Sept. 16. Faculty member say this was not the first time their input was disregarded in appointing the university president — it happened when Sexton got the job seven years ago.
“This is not the way most universities operate,” Cohen said, explaining that national searches and surveys are usually conducted to fill the highest position at the school.
But the university defended the decision in a statement to DNAinfo.
"In deciding to ask John Sexton to stay on till 2016, the Board focused on the university's exceptional progress over the past 30 years and specifically on its remarkable advance during his presidency," said John Beckman, an NYU spokesman.
"The board is confident that with John Sexton as president, the University is capable of securing and further advancing its position among the great universities not only of the United States but also of the world."
The announcement, however, represents yet another blow to faculty who are suffering economy-driven cutbacks and salary freezes, according to Cohen.
Ninety faculty members have signed the petition, which calls upon the Board of Trustees to annul Sexton's reappointment and to establish a new process to decide on the president and role's term length.
The petition will be presented at a faculty senators council meeting in the upcoming weeks.
