FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monroe Community College Employees Overwhelmingly Support a Vote of No Confidence in President Anne Kress
Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY, November 26, 2018
On November 19 and 20, over 500 members of the Monroe Community College full-time, part-time, professional and teaching staff (including adjunct employees) voted in a resounding majority that they do not support and have less than minimal confidence in the leadership of President Anne Kress. Of the 502 total ballots cast by members of the Faculty Association and the Faculty Senate, 88% supported a vote of No Confidence when asked to respond to a joint Faculty Senate and Faculty Association Resolution, including a list of 68 specific charges and concerns against President and CEO Kress and her senior leadership team. Additionally, 61 CSEA employees (82%) and 81 retirees (99%) cast votes in support of the no confidence resolution. The Resolution can be viewed here:
http://mccfa.ny.aft.org/faculty-association-faculty-senate-resolution-no-confidence-president-kress
Before the vote took place, President Kress made a public appeal in the Democrat & Chronicle that boldly protested, “MCC is not a mess, it is a model.” On this point, all MCC employees agree. MCC is a model because of the hard work, dedication, and passion of its employees. Faculty and staff put students first every day and, as President Kress notes, we are the reason students succeed at MCC and beyond. However, as nearly 90% of voting employees agree, MCC continues to be a model institution in spite of, and not as a result of, the President and CEO’s leadership.
Monroe Community College is first, and foremost, our community’s college. Our counselors, advisors, coaches, librarians, coordinators, secretaries, adjunct and full-time teaching faculty, and so many others, have helped hundreds of thousands, including but not limited to, veterans, displaced skilled workers, first-generation immigrants and the youth of our community to earn college and technical degrees that improve their lives, open new doors of opportunity, and enrich our community.
We do not wish to speak negatively about MCC and this was a difficult decision. After years of unsuccessfully attempting to dialogue through shared governance and through direct presentation of our concerns to the Board and President Kress, this step became necessary. We know that to improve the working conditions for our employees and the learning conditions of our students, we must challenge the leadership status quo that solely promotes a positive image to the public while denying the deteriorating conditions internally. Rather than listing accolades, we want to focus on continuous improvement and addressing current challenges. A good leader is more than just a good public speaker. A good leader confronts the difficult truths and works to improve conditions for all.
By supporting this resolution of No Confidence, the employees of MCC are bringing to the attention of the Board of Trustees, and the larger tax-paying public, specific and detailed concerns about the stewardship of one of our most important shared resources and the negative impact that current management practices have had on this institution; an institution that was described in the New York Times as a true national leader a mere 15 years ago, just before the current President’s appointment.
Our overwhelming, multi-campus direct vote of No Confidence presents a clear request to the tax-payers and students of Monroe County: We collectively insist on a full and transparent evaluation by the MCC Board of Trustees of the CEO and her assigned managerial team. In addition, we jointly agree that the Board of Trustees consider the dismissal or resignation of any member of the CEO’s selected team - including but not limited to the CEO herself - if they are found to fail appropriate standards.
The united employees of Monroe Community College will officially present the results of the vote to the MCC Board of Trustees during the Open Forum of the Board meeting on Monday, Dec. 3. A press conference will precede the meeting at 3:30pm where we will address specifically why the larger Monroe County community should share our many concerns, as well as support meaningful resolutions to re-instill hope, confidence, and integrity in our valuable institution.