Weeks after some faculty members at Northern Virginia Community College took a “no confidence” vote in regards to President Anne Kress’ leadership, they’re now speaking out about recent policy decisions that they said are harming students.
In a memo sent to members of the college’s full-time, 9-month teaching faculty caucus on Friday afternoon, the group said decisions such as reducing summer classes, ignoring safety concerns and removing athletics programs are negatively impacting students.
Faculty members have spent years trying to get their concerns addressed, but they often get ignored, according to the memo, which was obtained by WTOP.
The outline of faculty concerns comes over two weeks after a vote on Kress’ leadership. On Oct. 1, 407 of the 604 caucus members participated. Nearly 66% voted “no confidence,” 9.8% voted against and 24.3% abstained.
The Fairfax Times and Washington Business Journal have both reported on the vote.
In response to a list of specific questions about the faculty concerns, Kress responded with a statement, calling this “a time of great change and disruption in higher education, and I welcome the inclusion of all voices at NOVA — students, faculty and staff — in the conversations and work required to strengthen our college.”
Since the pandemic eased, according to the memo, faculty members have been asking for students in online classes to take exams at in-person testing centers, as they did before COVID. However, in-person testing for those students hasn’t resumed, the memo said, and Kress’ office has downsized the testing centers and shortened their operating hours.
That move, the memo said, “particularly harmed NOVA students with federally-mandated accommodations.”
The faculty members said leadership hasn’t addressed students’ plagiarism and use of artificial intelligence on campus and in online classes.
In a message to faculty at the college on Wednesday, David Dore, chancellor for the Virginia Community College System, said he’s appointing an external facilitator “to work with NOVA’s various constituent groups to review the current state of the college’s shared governance and identify challenges and opportunities.”
In that email, obtained by WTOP, Dore said he values “respectful dialogue” that prioritizes students’ needs.
WTOP has contacted the VCCS for comment.
Kress has been the president of NOVA since 2020. The college enrolls over 70,000 students at its six campuses.
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