Metro State students: No confidence in chancellor

Student leaders at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul have passed a vote of "no confidence" in the chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system.

Student Senate spokeswoman Amber Hamm said the 18-person vote Friday was unanimous but with two abstentions.

She said the leaders included a list of concerns over the performance of Steven Rosenstone. The list said Rosenstone was not being transparent with financial actions as chancellor, had shown a lack of professionalism, and failed to effectively represent the interests of colleges and students.

Hamm said he also wasn't giving students enough of a say in his plan to overhaul the system.

"There are students sitting on the different committees, but their voices aren't really being heard," she said. " ... The students are paying for their education, and we're paying for the entire process -- as well as the taxpayers.  So if the students are paying for something, obviously you want their voice and concern to be heard."

It's the first vote of no confidence by MnSCU students, though Winona State University student leaders last week issued their own list of concerns, which were similar.

Hamm wrote:

The Student Senate of Metropolitan State University does not take lightly the decision to present this Bill and vote of no confidence to Steven Rosenstone and to The Board of Trustees.

The Bill of Particulars addresses the performance, professionalism, and accountability of Steven Rosenstone. Many concerns listed in the Bill are not new and have been brought up by several different stake holder groups over the course of the last year.

We hope to continue to educate our student body and bring awareness to the community in regards to Steven Rosenstone’s lack of ability to be inclusive with the student body. It is our intention to be in the best interest of our students and based on the responses of our students we boldly state no confidence in Steven Rosenstone.

MnSCU spokesman Doug Anderson forwarded this written response from Rosenstone:

“I am deeply troubled by the latest in a coordinated series of votes of no confidence, particularly because it comes from our students.  I have asked for the opportunity to meet in person to respond to these concerns.”

The vote comes after five university out of seven faculty unions passed votes of no-confidence in the chancellor.  MnSCU's two statewide faculty unions have also pulled out of Rosenstone's plan to revamp the system.

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