Despite a large outcry in opposition from University students and community members on yesterday, the State Board of Higher Education voted unanimously to terminate University President Richard Lariviere’s contract Dec. 28.
“Tonight there was a lack of trust and a loss of trust in the Board from the University community,” ASUO Sen. Laura Hinman@@THE Laura Hinman?@@ said.
Even with a profusion of support from the University community, Lariviere’s future as president was cut short. The vote ensured that with his contract terminated, he will not be allowed to finish out the academic year.
“It’s a very big disappointment to me,” Lariviere said, “I had hoped to serve the UO for a long time. And now I have 30 days.” @@BOMB@@
To some, Lariviere was not only a president, but also stood for the idea of independence from the Board, to which many found refreshing. Some community members found the Board’s decision confusing and lacking clarification on what the grounds for Lariviere’s dismissal truly were.
“My disappointment in watching the live-feed was hearing the Board repeatedly say that they do understand the vision that President Lariviere had for the University and that this was a personnel matter,” University Housing interim assistant complex director Drew Terhune@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Drew+Terhune@@ said, “but then constantly articulating that it really wasn’t personnel matter and that they didn’t understand the vision the University has for itself.”
One student was largely astounded by this decision and are attempting to cope with its implications.
“Coming from a state (California) with a broken governance system, I came to Oregon as a place of hope, and I found that in President Lariviere,” Hinman said.@@awww…special@@ “I really think that the State Board lacks transparency in their decision.”
Many are also outraged that the Board did not act upon the decision from the campus community and that there was little convincing them to sway opinions.
“Given the media coverage we all had access to over the past week, this decision was pretty much expected,” Terhune said.
Members of the campus community, staff, students and faculty alike are looking ahead to continue the progress that Lariviere made and hope to hold the Board accountable for allowing the University to accomplish its goals.
“If there was any common ground in the past few days at all and at the meeting today, it has been a call from all stakeholders on our campus — from students, from faculty, from staff, from administrators — to make sure they play a pivotal role in determining the future of our University,” ASUO President Ben Eckstein said. “The Board has an obligation to meet that expectation.”
The termination of Lariviere’s contract doesn’t mark the end of the line for Hinman, however.
“This fight is not over, and we’re going to do everything we can to stand by our University,” she said.
Campus community stunned by OUS decision to fire Richard Lariviere
Daily Emerald
November 27, 2011
0
More to Discover