Faculty and coaching staff at three university campuses in Pennsylvania initiated a pivotal vote on Tuesday, expressing a lack of confidence in Dr. Bashar Hanna, the president of Commonwealth University. This vote, which affects the Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield campuses, underscores the intense scrutiny following a substantial legal judgment last summer.
In a nearly $4 million decision, a federal jury concluded that Hanna had wrongfully terminated a dean, Dr. Jeffrey Krug, who had reported sexual harassment and financial misconduct allegations against Hanna. The jury’s verdict has culminated in a broader examination of Hanna’s leadership amidst various accusations and operational difficulties facing the university.
The balloting, set to conclude on Wednesday, is conducted by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Facilities (APSCUF). Although this vote does not wield direct power over Hanna’s employment status, it serves as a forceful advisory to the university’s board of trustees and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s board of governors.
Kathryn Morton, a spokesperson for the association, clarified the purpose of the vote as a signal to university leadership about faculty and staff discontent. Dr. Kenneth M. Mash, president of APSCUF, strongly voiced concerns about Hanna’s leadership after the verdict, citing ongoing problems such as financial strains, dropping enrollments, staffing issues, and significant technical failures that have collectively dragged down morale.
Efforts to contact PASSHE and representatives from Commonwealth University for comments were met with restraint due to ongoing legal proceedings. “While we respect the faculty union’s right to conduct this polling,” said PASSHE spokesman Kevin Hensil, “our ability to comment on this specific matter is limited at this time.”
Legal documents reveal that Krug was targeted with investigations and subsequently dismissed after assisting a colleague in reporting misdeeds linked to Hanna. The federal jury labeled the retaliation severe enough to merit close to $4 million in damages to Krug.
Adding to the faculty’s fraught relations, Hanna argued in a recent trustees’ meeting that the damning verdict did not implicate him in the harassment claims and portrayed the decision to fire Krug as one influenced by broader state-level decisions rather than his own.
Despite Hanna’s reassurances, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the payment of the awarded damages. The university has sought a new trial and recently requested a federal court stay on enforcing the jury’s judgment.
The outcome of the no-confidence vote, expected to be publicized later in the week, might not alter Hanna’s immediate employment situation but is poised to resonate deeply within the academic community and beyond, as stakeholders grapple with the implications of leadership under legal and moral scrutiny.
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