Finally, it must be stated that many students have reached this point of frustration only after witnessing the behavior of administration during this crisis. I was personally optimistic and willing to make every effort to work with administration. Every student leader was hopeful that student concerns would be earnestly addressed early in the process and that communication would improve. What we have seen is a campaign of misinformation and deceptive brinskmanship. Many student leaders have communicated with alumni, KOAA members and members of the Board of Trustees and found that the information being shared with them was inaccurate and, at times, absolutely false. Every sentence is twisted to minimize the crisis at KCOM. A perfect example is when an alumnus told me that Dr. McGovern stated to them that the students were very much in support of administration and that a few clinical faculty were causing the trouble because they were interested in monetary gain. Perhaps the most disturbing example of how the truth is being held hostage at KCOM is the information contained in the May 18 letter to alumni from the Board. The letter minimizes the concerns of the clinical faculty by stating that “29 out of 112 full time faculty” were asking for a vote of no confidence. A more accurate assessment is that 33 members of the clinical faculty, which is greater than 70% of the clinical faculty and 30% of 112 full time faculty, are asking for this vote.
Another statement which concerns students is that clinical faculty have been “meeting in private and at a student-sponsored meeting with students to explain ‘their cause’”. In the strictest sense of the truth, the student-sponsored meetings also provided over an hour for Dr. McGovern and Dean Kuchera to present their side of the issue. The clinical faculty were invited and provided and hour, as well. There are only two students that have been meeting with clinical faculty in ‘private’ and that has only been for the purpose of clarifying what the clinical faculty has been doing and why since administration has been completely unwilling to share information with the students. The most accurate assessment of this situation is that administration has been given many, many more opportunities to speak to students in public and ‘private’ including multiple meetings with student leaders and student groups. They choose to squander their opportunities on rhetoric and misinformation.
The document also contains the statement that “some students have now chosen to not address their concerns through existing channels and that a larger portion of students than usual chose not to attend classes with qualified replacement instructors”. In the strictest sense of the truth, the students have been addressing concerns through the proper channels continuously for the last two years. If administration chooses to send false statements or information to individuals outside KCOM, students have a right to respond and will do so. We have the right to speak to any person, especially the many alumni who have called asking for the student side of the issue. The statement about class attendance seems to be an effort to minimize student unrest. In truth, less than thirty people attended each of the “replacement” classes. There are more than 100 people usually in class.
The document contains the following statement: “I am very concerned about the role-modeling being shown by certain members of the clinical faculty. I have repeatedly told the clinical faculty representatives to work with us and not involve the student, the press,” but to no avail. We, as students, have not seen any member of the clinical faculty act inappropriately and have never caught them in an attempt to deceive us. The clinical faculty have not chosen to publicly defame administration as administration has done to them. They have not publicly involved the students as Dr. McGovern has done. In contrast, administration has been the very antithesis of a role model for behavior during a crisis. The clinical faculty have never tried to involve us publicly and have repeatedly discouraged our involvement in many issues at the heart of this crisis.
The conclusion of the letter asks for “allowing our long-standing academic processes to resolve these issues”. The fundamental problem is that these processes have not worked for students and clinical faculty alike. I do not believe Dr. Stefanacci was attempting to provide inaccurate information in the document. The statements in this letter absolutely confirm that administration is not providing accurate information to alumni, KOAA members and the Board of Trustees. This information is being spread everywhere in an effort to cloud the issues and hide what is an actual crisis at KCOM. As long as inaccurate information is being spread, those who know the truth must respond. The actions of administration seem to demonstrate they fear the dissemination of truth since they know it will hurt “their cause”. As long as this process is maintained and administration is allowed to orchestrate this entire process, the future of KCOM is at risk.
