FireCooper.com

Another home run from the Times-Dispatch's Gary Brookins.

William Cooper Announces Decision to Step Down as President of the University of Richmond Effective June 2007

January 12, 2006 -- At today’s meeting of the University of Richmond’s Board of Trustees, President William E. Cooper announced his decision to step down as president effective June 30, 2007, and the board voted to honor his request. At that time, President Cooper will resume teaching and research as University Professor at Richmond.

“It is a singular privilege to have served as president since 1998. I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of all members of the university community,” said President Cooper. “Working together, we have achieved a great deal and have made key decisions that will continue to unlock Richmond’s full potential. In coming months, I look forward to working to fulfill the aims set forth in our strategic plan and laying the groundwork for future achievements. Let us join together in a spirit of friendship and appreciation for the opportunities we share in serving Richmond.”

Among President Cooper’s and his administration’s most notable achievements is the creation and implementation of an ambitious 10-year strategic plan. Only six years into the plan, 11 of 17 major initiatives have been brought to fruition. These key objectives include the development of one of the nation’s most comprehensive and generous need- and merit-based financial aid programs, the hiring of a significant number of additional faculty, the completion of several major capital projects, Richmond’s move to the top tier of the national liberal arts universities, and the establishment of an active Center for Civic Engagement.

President Cooper also has led the most successful fundraising campaign in the university’s history with 24,000 donors to date and 44 donors of one million dollars or more. The university has raised nearly $177 million toward its $200 million campaign which is not scheduled for conclusion until 2008. During Dr. Cooper’s tenure, the university garnered its first Rhodes Scholar winner in nearly 50 years. Scott Erwin received this prestigious international honor in fall 2005.

“The board offers its profound thanks to Dr. Cooper for his many significant contributions to the university,” said Otis D. Coston Jr., rector of the university. “Our task ahead is to continue to build on our considerable momentum and identify a worthy successor.”

The board also voted to reaffirm its support of the vision and strategic direction of the university as well as to immediately begin to assemble a committee to oversee a national search for candidates who share the university’s vision for academic excellence. Rector Coston has appointed trustee and former rector Robert L. Burrus, Jr., of Richmond, VA, as chair of the search committee.

UR board to consider Cooper issue

BY GARY ROBERTSON
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

January 12, 2006–As 2006 begins to unfold, the troubles of University of Richmond President William E. Cooper remain the dominant news out of the highly regarded institution of nearly 3,000 undergraduates in the city's West End.

Today in a special meeting, the university's board of trustees will for the second time in six weeks take up the issue of Cooper's presidency.

The trustees will be dealing with a faculty resolution recommending the creation of an independent committee to assess Cooper's effectiveness to continue as president.

Earlier, the faculty issued a statement saying that recent remarks by Cooper had compromised his ability to lead.

Through a spokesman, Cooper said he does not want to discuss issues related to his presidency before the board meeting.

Otis D. "Skip" Coston, UR's rector, who speaks for the board of trustees, also declined to comment.

Get the whole story at TimesDispatch.com

Concerned Alumni Group Urges Cooperation With Faculty

Prompt action by the Board of Trustees would allow the University to move forward

January 6, 2005 - The UR Board of Trustees will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday, January 12 in Richmond. On December 16, 2005, in an unprecedented move, the University of Richmond faculty passed an “urgent” resolution for the Board of Trustees, “To establish an independent committee to assess the effectiveness and potential of President William Cooper’s leadership of the University of Richmond.” This historic faculty vote has further underscored the sharp division and apparent disconnect between Dr. William Cooper and the faculty, staff, and alumni.

The faculty has requested that the committee be composed of three impartial persons with no connection to the University of Richmond or President Cooper. The faculty has also asked that the committee survey the entire faculty to determine its views on the strengths and weaknesses of President Cooper and confidentially interview a representative number of faculty, students, staff, administrators, alumni, Board members, and anyone else who asks to be interviewed. The faculty has asked that the committee report its full findings to the Board, with a thorough summary thereof to the university community, by March 1, 2006.

Dr. David E. Leary, a University of Richmond professor and former Dean of the University’s School of Arts and Sciences, had earlier urged his colleagues to become involved. “I don’t think the word ‘crisis’ is too strong a term,” Dr. Leary wrote. “I doubt there’s been a moment quite like this one in the history of our institution, when the support of our alumni and other donors as well as our local and national reputations are so clearly at stake,” he continued.

On December 9, the University Faculty Council released the following statement:

“The recent remarks of President Cooper, set against a background of similar statements over his tenure here, lead this faculty of the University of Richmond to conclude that his ability to lead the University is compromised. This conclusion is especially regrettable in light of our high regard for our students and our staff, both present and past, and in light of the significant advances that have been made in recent years in the quality and promise of our programs and our facilities. We, therefore, respectfully report this conclusion to the Board of Trustees, with our pledge to work with them to find a process of resolving the circumstances in which we find ourselves today.”

The Concerned Alumni Group urges the Board of Trustees to move promptly to work with the faculty to initiate the independent evaluation so that University can move forward. An independent evaluation is the only means by which the issues may be brought to light and should resolve any issues so that confidence can be restored throughout the University community including faculty, staff, alumni, and students. Internal reviews will not accomplish this result. Anything short of this action will only prolong the discord that now exists.

We further encourage the Board of Trustees to allow secrecy and to limit Dr. Cooper’s ability to hire and fire and make other administrative decisions while this oversight and review is in process so that there is an atmosphere of open discussion without the fear of retribution. The tensions created over these past seven years have lead to the faculty voting to request the Board of Trustees to appoint an independent committee, without any association to the University or of Dr. Cooper in order to evaluate his presidency.

Our research could not find any such action in the history of the University and we are saddened that this matter has continued in the public domain without a reasonable solution. We look forward to a resolution of this matter which will bring all the various constituencies of the University back in a positive environment and moving the University forward. We applaud the faculty for their courage, having the University’s interest at heart, for bringing what we believe is a meaningful approach in this matter and we are hopeful for a positive resolution for the sake of our Alma Mater.

Cooper’s actions have continued to draw the ire of the University community. An online petition for his removal has garnered more than 3,000 signatures, alumni giving has stalled and a website - http://www.firecooper.com – has been established.

The Concerned Alumni Group is an independent organization of University of Richmond alumni, working toward moving the University forward in a positive direction.

UR staff vote for review

Faculty narrowly approve a resolution calling for an impartial study of Cooper

BY GARY ROBERTSON
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

The University of Richmond faculty is calling for an independent review committee "to assess the effectiveness and potential of President William Cooper's leadership."

The resolution emerged yesterday following three days of secret voting by faculty members.

The resolution also says recent remarks by Cooper, set against a background of similar statements over his tenure, have led the faculty to conclude "that his ability to continue to lead the university is compromised."

The vote on the resolution passed narrowly, with 51 percent of the faculty voting to accept it and 47.6 percent voting to reject it. A small percentage abstained.

Approval came on a vote of 107-100.

Get the whole story at TimesDispatch.com

Alumni Group Supports Faculty Resolution

RICHMOND, VA, December 15, 2005 – The Concerned Alumni Group applauds the courage of those University of Richmond Faculty members who are voting in favor of requesting that the Board of Trustees establish an independent committee to assess the effectiveness and potential of President William Cooper’s leadership of the University of Richmond. We urge the Board of Trustees to accept the faculty request and look forward to a summary of the committee's findings be presented to the entire University community by March 1, 2006.

We wholeheartedly endorse the Faculty statement released on Friday, December 9, 2005 that asserted, "The recent remarks of President Cooper, set against a background of similar statements over his tenure here, lead this faculty of the University of Richmond to conclude that his ability to lead the University is compromised."

We share the Faculty’s regret in reaching this conclusion, as we too hold the staff and students in high regard, and respect the future, the present and past our great University, and we too support the significant advances that have been made in recent years in the quality and promise of our programs and our facilities.

Furthermore, we recognize the great responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, and we fully support the Faculty's request that the independent committee survey the entire faculty to determine its views on the strengths and weaknesses of President Cooper. We join in the Faculty's call for an outside and independent committee to assess the effectiveness and potential of President William Cooper’s leadership of the University of Richmond, and to report its full findings to the Board, with a thorough summary thereof to the entire university community, by March 1, 2006. We agree with the Faculty’s belief that this independent review will assist the Board of Trustees in continuing its oversight of the University of Richmond.

The Concerned Alumni Group is an independent organization of University of Richmond alumni, working toward moving the University forward in a positive direction. For more information, please contact Otis Brown at 804/794-2031.

Faculty voting on Cooper resolution

The following resolution is currently being voted on until Friday, Dec. 16. If the resolution is approved, it will be forwarded to the UR board of trustees for consideration.

Whereas the faculty of the University of Richmond met on December 9, 2005, and after serious and deliberate discussion adopted the following statement:

The recent remarks of President Cooper, set against a background of similar statements over his tenure here, lead this faculty of the University of Richmond to conclude that his ability to lead the University is compromised. This conclusion is especially regrettable in light of our high regard for our students and our staff, both present and past, and in light of the significant advances that have been made in recent years in the quality and promise of our programs and our facilities. We, therefore, respectfully report this conclusion to the Board of Trustees, with our pledge to work with them to find a process of resolving the circumstances in which we find ourselves today.

We, the faculty, fully and respectfully aware of the rights and responsibilities of the Board of Trustees of the University of Richmond, yet confident that what we propose will benefit the University and all parties involved, and hopeful that it will be accepted and acted upon as soon as possible, now submit to the members of the Board of Trustees the following request:

The faculty of the University of Richmond urgently requests the Board of Trustees to establish an independent committee to assess the effectiveness and potential of President William Cooper’s leadership of the University of Richmond, and to report its full findings to the Board, with a thorough summary thereof to the university community, by March 1, 2006. We recommend that the committee be composed of three outstanding and impartial persons with strong academic backgrounds and experience in and/or knowledge of administration in higher education, but with no connection past or present to the University of Richmond or President Cooper. We also recommend that in selecting the members of the committee, the Board consult with the University Faculty Council and such professional organizations as the American Council on Education, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, the Council for Advancement & Support of Education, and the American Association of University Professors. We ask, further, that the committee confidentially interview a representative number of faculty, students, staff, administrators, alumni, Board members, and anyone else who asks to be interviewed; that the committee survey the entire faculty to determine its views on the strengths and weaknesses of President Cooper, and that while compiling its report, the committee give President Cooper a full hearing on all issues. We believe that this independent review will assist the Board of Trustees in continuing its oversight of the University of Richmond.

Faculty's faith in leader is waning

At meeting, some suggest UR president should leave his job

BY GARY ROBERTSON
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

RICHMOND, VA, December 10, 2005 – The University of Richmond faculty has concluded that its president's "ability to continue to lead the university has been compromised," a faculty spokesman said last night.

Henry L. Chambers Jr., a law professor and chairman of the university's faculty council, made that comment as part of a statement he read last night after a two-hour, closed-door faculty meeting.

The meeting was called to discuss the leadership of William E. Cooper, UR president since 1998, whose recent comments have drawn the ire of many faculty, staff and alumni. Chambers said those comments were considered in the context of similar statements made throughout Cooper's tenure.

"The faculty struggled to gracefully find a way to ask the president to resign," said a tenured faculty member, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of losing his job.

He and other sources, who declined to be identified for the same reason, added that the word "resign" never came up. But they said the overwhelming majority of their colleagues were telling them that resignation was what they had in mind.

Get the whole story at TimesDispatch.com.

Former Dean Makes Plea To UR Faculty

Urges Faculty Response to “Crisis”

RICHMOND, VA, December 2, 2005 – The Concerned Alumni Group has announced that Dr. David E. Leary, a University of Richmond professor and former Dean of the University’s School of Arts and Sciences (1989-2002), has urged his colleagues to attend a faculty-only meeting on Friday, December 9 regarding the “ongoing crisis facing the University."

The faculty forum was announced via email by the University Faculty Council (UFC), a group whose responsibilities include providing information and advice to the President and Provost regarding faculty interests and concerns as they bear upon the life and operation of the institution.

“I don’t think the word ‘crisis’ is too strong a term,” Dr. Leary wrote. “I doubt there’s been a moment quite like this one in the history of our institution, when the support of our alumni and other donors as well as our local and national reputations are so clearly at stake,” he continued.The forum, which will be held in the Tyler Haynes Commons at 4:15pm, was announced via email by Catherine Bagwell, UFC Secretary.

“The forum will provide the opportunity for faculty to discuss recent events bearing on the future of the University,” she wrote. To learn more about Dr. Leary, please see the Experts Guide at the University Communications page. For more information on the UFC, visit the UFC page at the Provost's Office page.

After the Vote

"To keep William Cooper, the university's trustees had to put aside the PR hit the school's image has been taking because of him. They had to put aside the dwindling contributions. They had to put aside the rising alumni opposition."

Ray McAllister
December 6, 2005
Richmond Times-Dispatch

"...a UR undergraduate said one of her teachers even danced in class on Friday, proclaiming, 'Cooper's getting fired!' "

Caine O'Rear
December 2, 2005
Richmond.com

The Vote

From the Official University of Richmond release:
The University of Richmond's Board of Trustees voted today [December 2, 2005] during a special session to support the vision and strategic direction of the university. The board also voted to support President William E. Cooper to continue as president.

The decision was made following a thorough review of President Cooper's leadership of the university since his appointment in 1998. As part of this review process, the board examined President Cooper's recent comments and expressed deep disappointment.

"The board recognizes the need for President Cooper to address issues and relationships with the university's constituencies and to work closely with the board," said Otis D. Coston, rector of the board. "The board and the president will jointly develop a plan of action to address these issues and improve relationships. The board will monitor and evaluate the president's progress on an on-going basis."

Mush to Mush

"The entering quality of our student body needs to be much higher if we are going to transform bright minds into great achievers instead of transforming mush into mush, and I mean it."

William Cooper
2005 State of the University address

But it was Cooper's "mush to mush" line that got people hot...That seemed like a slap in the face to just about everyone.

Maybe it's time for the prez to just tow his whole university up to New York. Or go alone.

Cooper later apologized, then apologized to the alumni association this week, saying in essence he was frustrated by a few bad apples. He had been tired. His remarks were misinterpreted. He never meant to criticize students or alumni.

They may have accepted his apology.

But you have to figure UR students, faculty and alumni saw through that one. Unless they really are mush.

By the way, seven years in and Cooper still thinks his university is "mush-in-mush-out"?Does he have a mirror?

Ray McAllister
Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist