Sacramento State faculty declare no confidence in president
Union-Tribune 4/28/07
About two-thirds of 900 eligible faculty members cast ballots in the nonbinding vote, with 77 percent disapproving of Gonzalez, faculty announced Friday.
The outcome was a blow to Gonzalez, who has come under fire for academic cuts, increased class sizes and a looming school deficit.
“The message that I think it should send is the faculty really want the president to pay close attention to the academic budget,” said Michael Fitzgerald, chair of the CSUS Faculty Senate.
California State University administration spokeswoman Claudia Keith said Friday that the system's leaders stood behind Gonzalez. The CSU board, not the faculty, has the power to hire and fire Gonzalez.
In a written response, Gonzalez, who has long said he would not resign, said he would encourage faculty input on the direction of the campus.
“Much more needs to be done, and it must involve everyone on campus” Gonzalez wrote.
Gonzalez's latest statement was much more conciliatory than a letter he issued at the start of the election. In a letter earlier this month, Gonzalez scolded some faculty for “mean-spiritedness” and “outright distortion.”