Faculty union authorizes no-confidence vote for Temple's leadership
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP) will move forward with a vote of no confidence in senior leadership at the school, including President Jason Wingard, Board of Trustees Chair Mitchell Morgan, and Provost Gregory Mandel.
TAUP concluded its authorization vote on Monday.
Eighty-four percent of the 917 members of TAUP supported to move ahead with a no confidence vote at Temple.
Ninety-seven percent of union members sought a no-confidence vote in Wingard, 86% sought a no-confidence vote for Morgan and 79% sought one for Mandel.
The union held an emergency vote Tuesday morning to discuss the results.
The union will continue with a formal no confidence vote at the beginning of the week of April 10.
The vote of no-confidence is mostly symbolic.
It comes after many at Temple have questioned the university's leadership following the death of Temple University police Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald, the recent strike that ended involving graduate student workers and crime on the surrounding areas of the school's campus.
Last weekend, a shooting outside a hookah lounge near Temple's football complex left four people injured.
A person was arrested after they were spotted with a gun in Temple's Morgan Hall, and a man was stabbed on the 1200 block of Diamond Street, just north of the Tyler School of Art.
Temple University released a statement about the decision to authorize the vote of no-confidence Tuesday night:
"Temple University's faculty members define our academic strength. We value and respect our faculty and share their commitment to ensuring our university meets its important mission.
We are ready and willing to engage and work closely with faculty, deans, staff, students and all other dedicated groups to confront the challenges facing our great university. We are confident that together we can address the pressing issues before us."