Chico >> A resolution under consideration by Chico State University’s Academic Senate has drawn criticism and opposition from President Paul Zingg and the university’s department of business and finance.

Zingg and members of the business and finance team wrote letters to the Academic Senate about the proposed resolution, “The Senate Statement of No Confidence in President, Interim Provost and Vice President for Business and Finance,” which the senate will vote on at its meeting Thursday afternoon.

The proposed no-confidence resolution was drafted by a group of faculty from the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, according to senator and professor Jeffery Livingston, and states, “The executive leadership has failed to effectively manage the development and implementation of policies and personnel processes that concern the faculty and staff of CSU, Chico.”

It was introduced at an Academic Senate meeting last week, after a presentation by interim provost Susan Elrod on the budget. Elrod explained issues with the budget and why some departments were left with less funding than in previous years.

The proposed resolution cites those issues specifically, stating, “The budget in the 2015-16 (academic year) was withheld from colleges and departments until November 2015; and whereas, failure of senior executives to make timely decisions and maintain working relationships has resulted in uncertainty and unpredictability.”

In his letter, Zingg criticized the resolution while addressing several points brought up by its authors.

“Although this resolution largely contains very broad, sweeping and unsubstantiated and vague generalities, it is clear that the authors of the resolution have concerns that need to be respected and addressed,” Zingg wrote.

Zingg asked the senate to consider the effects that the resolution could have on the ongoing presidential search, writing: “For supporting a resolution that lacks clarity, specificity and accuracy would have a chilling effect on the strength of the pool and the interest of candidates to come to a place where the very fabric of the academy, as noted in the above ‘right rules of conduct,’ and as supposedly championed by the Academic Senate, is contradicted in it.”

In another letter sent to the Academic Senate and signed by 24 members of Chico State’s business and finance management team, the team declared their opposition to the measure, questioned its purpose and effectiveness, and also praised the leadership of Lori Hoffman, vice president of business and finance.

“We strongly recommend that the Academic Senate reject the subject Resolution for No Confidence as it is not in the best interest of the entire campus community,” the group stated. “This action will undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on trust and goodwill, and will destroy the genuine progress made in addressing concerns raised by members of the campus community.”

Livingston, who introduced the resolution on behalf of other faculty, said he supports the measure.

“The resolution culminates some 16 months of failed faculty and staff efforts, well documented, to elicit the cooperation of upper-level administration in making shared governance work on this campus,” Livingston said.

If the senate votes in favor of the resolution, it would be forwarded to California State University Chancellor Timothy White, the CSU board of trustees and administration at Chico State.

The Academic Senate will vote on the resolution at the meeting that begins at 2 p.m. in Colusa 100 at Chico State.

Reach reporter Dani Anguiano at 896-7767.