photo by: Journal-World File Photos

University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod, left, and Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer, right, are pictured in file photos.

Updated at 11:55 a.m. Monday

The University of Kansas Faculty Senate will have a discussion of no-confidence regarding the chancellor and provost in its meeting on Thursday, according to an email sent out by the president of the Faculty Senate.

The matter was put on Thursday’s agenda after a motion from a faculty member and approval by simple majority vote at the previous Faculty Senate meeting, according to an email from Lua Kamal Yuille, the president of KU’s Faculty Senate. When asked why the Faculty Senate decided to put the discussion item on the agenda, Yuille said she was not comfortable making that determination because conversation at the meeting had been limited because of time. Yuille did, however, note that many faculty members were frustrated.

“Many faculty members — both in and out of faculty senate — are frustrated and exhausted, and they want an opportunity to discuss administrative leadership. Thursday’s discussion will, at a minimum, be the beginning of that discussion in a formal setting,” Yuille said.

Thursday’s meeting will involve a discussion of no-confidence, Yuille said. No votes are on the agenda.

Douglas Girod has been the chancellor of KU since July of 2017, and the provost, Barbara Bichelmeyer, started her role in February 2020.

“The Chancellor and Provost look forward to continuing their partnership with university governance and all members of the community to address challenges and move the university forward,” university spokesperson Joe Monaco said in an email to the Journal-World.

Faculty Senate meetings are open to the public and may be viewed online at mps.ku.edu/universityfaculty-senate. This Thursday, the University Senate meeting will begin at 3:15 p.m., and the Faculty Senate meeting will begin afterward, which is anticipated to be around 4 p.m.

KU is currently considering using a temporary Kansas Board of Regents policy that gives university CEOs more power to suspend, dismiss or terminate employees — including tenured faculty members — in light of the financial crisis many universities face. Over 1,046 KU faculty and staff members have signed a statement denouncing the policy.