Ohio U Board of Trustees votes to object to Faculty Senate committee report

The Board of Trustees remained in an executive session for more than four hours at its meeting Monday evening (Photo by Kate Marijolovic).

The Ohio University Board of Trustees voted that it has “serious objections” to the Faculty Senate committee report that recommended Ohio U Professor Yusuf Kalyango be fully reinstated as a professor and keep his tenure during a special meeting held virtually Monday night. 

The Board of Trustees expressed numerous concerns with how the Faculty Senate committee conducted its report. It also found an issue with the evidence used by the Faculty Senate committee. 

“Therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Trustees, after careful consideration of the report and record before it, makes objections to the report as set forth in exhibit A and requests that the committee reconsider its report in accordance with the procedures set forth in the handbook,” Secretary Dave Moore read from the resolution that was passed.

Moore also said the Board of Trustees had “serious questions” related to the standard of evidence used by the committee. The resolution stated the Faculty Senate committee failed to allow an Ohio U representative to cross-examine Kalyango. According to the resolution, the committee also failed to make clear the grounds on which their recommendation to not remove Kalyango’s tenure was made. 

The resolution requested the Faculty Senate committee submit a new report to be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at its next meeting, which is scheduled for April 9. 

Most of the meeting took place in a more than four-hour-long executive session, which was closed to the public. The board went into executive session just four minutes after the start of the meeting — at 4:00 p.m. — and reconvened in front of the public around 8:30 p.m. 

The Board of Trustees is not allowed to discuss personnel matters in a public meeting — a rule that caused the lengthy executive session to take place. During the executive session, Kalyango and his legal representation were allowed to speak with the trustees. 

The Board of Trustees only reviewed the Faculty Senate committee report issued Dec. 29, 2020, the full record of the case that appeared before the committee, and transcripts of Kalyango’s appeal hearing on Dec. 20, 2020. The report under review recommended that Kalyango be reinstated as a professor and keep his tenure. 

At its Feb. 8 meeting, the Faculty Senate voted to withdraw this report from the Board of Trustees’ consideration. 

At the beginning of Monday’s meeting, Janelle Coleman, the chair of the Board of Trustees, highlighted its importance. 

“I also want to take a moment to say that, to a person, the trustees appreciate and acknowledge the gravity of the issues that come before us today, as well as the ramifications our decision is likely to have for the individuals directly involved in this matter, particularly the complainants and Dr. Kalyango, as well as the university at large,” Coleman said.