Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

UNLV Faculty Senate set to debate referendum on delaying presidential search

UNLV’s Faculty Senate will vote Sept. 24 on whether to present a referendum to the wider faculty on postponing the university’s presidential search for three years.

If the faculty were to pass the referendum, a recommendation would go to the Board of Regents, which would have final say on the matter. If the board accepted the recommendation, the national presidential search would be postponed until the 2021-2022 academic year.

In a meeting of the Faculty Senate today, Chairwoman Janis McKay said acting President Marta Meana, whose contract would be extended for the three years if the search were delayed, would only accept the proposal if a majority of the faculty voted for it.

“Her condition was very clear to me in no uncertain terms — that she is not going to do this unless there is a majority faculty support for this proposal,” McKay said.

The referendum would include arguments for and against the delay.

“Ultimately, we can say everything we want, but the regents will be the ones who make the final decision,” McKay said. “So, if we present it to them and they don’t want to do it, it’s not going to happen no matter what our vote says.”