The actions of most regents demonstrate their inability to protect the university from further budget cuts and unwillingness to stand up for tenure and faculty-led shared governance, he said.

Vanness acknowledged the limited effectiveness a successful no-confidence vote might have.

“Indeed, it is likely that President Cross and the Board of Regents will gain substantial public support from the governor and state legislative leadership for ‘standing up to the faculty,'” he told colleagues.

“All that being said, I still believe it is right and just to support the motion. It should be made clear to all that these changes to shared governance and tenure have been made over our expressed objection. A vote of No Confidence is the clearest signal we can send.”

Alex Hummel, university system spokesperson, told Inside Higher Education via email that the vote "is a faculty matter, and President Cross remains focused on helping the [system's] institutions maintain a world-class education."

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