After it became apparent that the Board of Trustees were not receiving our concerns through the administration in a factual and truthful manner, we were allowed to present our concerns directly to the Board.(7) It was also obvious that the student body, particularly the second year class was in an uproar over the treatment of their concerns by the administration. They felt that the administration was not truthful on more that one occasion.(9) The Board of Trustees requested a presentation of the student issues at the June meeting.(10) Within two weeks of truthfully representing the student concerns to the Board of Trustees, the student government representative was placed on behavioral probation and was ordered to undergo psychiatric counseling by the Dean of Students, Ron Gaber.(11) This is another fine example of retribution by the current administration to suppress the truth and free speech.
At the Board of Trustee’s April 30-May 1, 2000 meeting and at a specially called board meeting June 4-5, the Board heard and was given detailed written material regarding the seriousness of the situation at KCOM.(6,7) By this time, approximately 36 faculty members (including some local adjunct faculty) had signed a no-confidence vote in the current administration.(8) Prior to the April Board meeting, the Alumni Board readily endorsed the clinical faculty’s efforts to bring positive change to correct the educational problems at KCOM. The Board of Trustees has yet to respond to the concerned faculty, other than to issue a short statement of support for the President.(13) Leadership from the Board of Trustees is sorely needed. Without timely action by the board, continuation of these administrative practices will adversely affect the quality of the student experience at KCOM.
Over the past few months, numerous phone conversations and meetings with the Dean and/or President have taken place. These have all been to no avail, without any changes of the administrative practices at KCOM.(5) The President and the Board of Trustee’s have both been made aware that problems exist at KCOM and what is necessary to get KCOM moving again to restore confidence in the governing bodies, alumni, and offices here at Kirksville.(6,7,10,12)
On June 9, 2000, the President learned that eight faculty members who represent the clinical faculty had complained to the AOA about a few of the irregular events at KCOM.(2) This group of clinical faculty, including tenured clinical faculty, were informed via a memo from Drs. Kuchera and McGovern they would not be offered new academic contracts and their faculty appointments and ranks were stripped.(1) A prior memo to the KCOM faculty and staff stated that this group of faculty would “be held accountable”.(14) Apparently, “whistle-blowing” of the truth by faculty or students will not be tolerated at KCOM.
The former Clinical Faculty has tolerated an environment of deception, half-truths, threats and out-right fabrications emanating from the KCOM administration. It was impossible to satisfy our educational responsibilities to the students under these conditions. The following clinical faculty members supported a no-confidence measure of the practices of the current President and former Dean. Eight steering committee members were not offered contracts and others decided to not sign new contracts under the current administrative environment at KCOM.
