According to the Wichitan faculty survey sent to department heads on Oct. 8, open communication with faculty, staff and students is how President Jesse Rogers could improve his performance.

Seventy people replied to our survey.

Rogers’ performance came under question after an anonymous email was sent to all faculty and staff criticizing his administration.

The letter, from “A Representative Sample of Your Faculty,” condemned Rogers’ relationship with the faculty, the increasing cost of tuition, increasing admission standards and his lack of support for distance education.

“One never likes criticism, but certainly one in a leadership position has a lot of responsibility,” Rogers said. “The faculty is at the top of my list to take care of, but I can’t fix everything at one time. I think over time people will see I will be successful in taking care of the university.”

The letter accused Rogers, who has been university president for 11 years, of being a status quo president.

Yet, 39.3 percent of faculty surveyed disagreed with that statement.

Rogers said he found the comment an unusual criticism.

“I interpreted status quo to be someone who keeps things as they are, but I’ve seen more changes in this university in the years that I’ve been here more than I’ve ever seen before,” Rogers said. “I am anything, but a status quo president. In fact, I will probably take risks to make this university better that I’m not even comfortable with.”

Charles Bultena, associate professor of management, said he was surprised by the anonymous letter, but did not feel it in any way a representative sample of the faculty.

“My perception as a long-time member of the Faculty Senate is that the faculty are generally supportive of Dr. Rogers,” Bultena said. “Most feel he has done his best to navigate the challenges of the past few years in such a way as to minimize the impact on students, faculty and staff.”

Bultena said the anonymous letter wasn’t a productive way to communicate with the administration.

“Every faculty member has representation on the Faculty Senate to voice any concerns they have,” Bultena said. “The Senate addresses faculty concerns brought to its attention and brings these issues to the president and the Senate Executive Committee.”

Both the president and provost have been willing to address concerns with the Senate, Bultena said. said.

“I believe faculty must participate in the process of change we are facing,” Bultena said. “We are far more likely to success by expressing faculty concerns and solving problems in partnership with Dr. Rogers and the administration than we are in opposition – to be part of the solution, not the problem.”

Another faculty member who took the Wichitan survey, which allowed for anonymous comments, said the university does have a morale issue.

“Professionals all seem to have an opinion,” the faculty member said. “Many times you find it’s not really based on substantive evidence.”

During the university’s time of financial struggle, not all faculty has criticized Rogers.

“Dr. Rogers has show time and again that he is committed to the betterment of this university and to its future,” one faculty member wrote. “He is very open with the faculty regarding the university’s financial situation, going into detail during faculty meetings regarding various funding, shortfalls and possibilities for increased income.”

Even though over half of the faculty surveyed said they found working at MSU enjoyable, one faculty member who filled out the survey said each faculty member, regardless of rank, is an essential component in accomplishing the university’s mission of education our students.

“Respect for teaching excellence, regardless of rank or tenure, needs to be an integral part of MSU’s culture,” one faculty member said. “I actually feel more respect and appreciation for the good work that I do from the administration than I do with my fellow, higher-ranking, faculty members.”

Another faculty member wrote the administration sees itself as separate from, and superior to, the faculty.

“They don’t realize that they’re actually highly overpaid support staff or should be,” they wrote.

Rogers said the faculty hasn’t had a raise in a year, but it is because the university’s lost $12 million in the last two years.

“I don’t believe you can take mediocre staff or faculty and pay them to be good, but I do believe I have obligation to show them this university’s appreciation to keep the morale up,” Rogers said. “There is no better way to do that than giving a bonus.”

Last week, Rogers announced a one-time 2 percent faculty and staff-salary boost.

“It is the board’s responsibility to see that we take soft money – money that has been given to us for just a couple years – and take from that a two percent boost,” he said. “It really is a message to the faculty and staff that I know what you’re doing and I appreciate what you are doing.”