Saint Xavier Faculty Vote ‘No Confidence’ In President Joyner

CHICAGO — Saint Xavier University faculty passed a motion last week declaring a lack of confidence in President Laurie Joyner’s leadership and called upon the university’s board of trustees to immediately replace her. Joyner has served as president of the university, located in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood on the South Side, since 2017.

The April 16 vote signals what one faculty member described as a fight for the "very soul" of the Catholic university. Some faculty members claim that under Joyner’s leadership, student learning has been undermined by the increasing number of students per course. The faculty also charges that the number and variety of course offerings has been limited and say that reshaping the curriculum away from its liberal arts foundation further compromises students’ best interests.

“I think there is a legitimate concern that the traditional foundation in the liberal arts will go away and that we won’t be a liberal arts university any longer,” said Michael O'Keefe, a professor of religion and co-chair of faculty affairs committee. “The emphasis would be on programs with direct program connections, like nursing and education. There is a lot of pressure on universities in general to emphasize programs that focus on getting employment.”

The university’s board of trustees immediately voiced their support of Joyner, stating that less than half of Saint Xavier’s eligible faculty participated in the no-confidence vote.

O’Keefe said 110 faculty voted 71-33 in favor of the motion, with 6 abstentions.

Patricia Morris, the board's chair and a 1983 SXU graduate, dismissed the faculty vote as symbolic.

“We are disappointed in some faculty who are unable or unwilling to recognize the many ways President Joyner has strengthened Saint Xavier University,” she said. “President Joyner has met or exceeded the board’s expectations for performance each year as reflected in her written annual evaluations. The board unanimously supports President Joyner. There will be no action taken because of this vote.”

Faculty also accused Joyner of creating a “climate of tension, distrust and bullying” in the university community. A “significant number” of full-time faculty members have left the institution, their positions left vacant or filled by part-time faculty.

Prior to joining Saint Xavier, Joyner served as president of the Lutheran-affiliated Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. Joyner resigned the post in August 2016. During her four-year tenure in Ohio, retiree health and life insurance benefits were eliminated and the budget was slashed by $6.5 million, the Springfield News-Sun reported.

Fifty-three faculty members signed a letter to the Wittenberg board, expressing concern over the high turnover in administration.

In May 2020, the Saint Xavier University board of trustees announced its unanimous decision to no longer recognize the faculty affairs committee as a collective bargaining unit.

Faculty members called the move “unprecedented” after a 40-year relationship with past administrations, negotiating salaries, benefits and working conditions. The board maintains that the shared governance system mirrors the "vast majority of universities" in which faculty are encouraged to participate through a faculty senate.

The board also elects a faculty member to serve on an extended leadership team and attend board meetings to share the “faculty perspective”

Despite 90-percent opposition, faculty members alleged that the SXU administration and board of trustees revised the faculty bylaws without consulting them.

“We are trying to preserve the distinctive character of a Saint Xavier education,” O’Keefe said. “How the curriculum functions and courses are taught — those kinds of things have traditionally been largely in the hands of faculty.”

The board of trustees touted Joyner’s list of accomplishments since her presidency began in January 2017, including improving student retention rates and securing two sizeable federal grants to expand student services and integrate career planning.

Joyner is also credited with investing in across-the-board salary increases for eligible faculty and staff for the first time in six years, the board said.

The faculty say they are committed to upholding the quality of student education and the mission of the university. They urge the SXU board of trustees to work with them as was customary until the arrival of President Joyner.

“Concerned faculty are voicing a threat to the very soul of Saint Xavier University and the board of trustees has refused to listen,” said Nan-Nan Lee, an associate professor of philosophy.