The search for AU's next president will take time, said new Board of Trustees Chairman Gary M. Abramson at a meeting last Friday.
"We don't see how any kind of presidential search can end until next year, until next spring or summer," he said.
After the meeting, Vice Chair Thomas A. Gottschalk met with members of The Eagle and American Weekly and approximately 20 students who had attempted to storm the meeting earlier in the day.
"I was up there for it," said Meg Linehan, leader of Students for a New AU, a student activist group. "I was not really involved, because it wasn't my group, but I tried to help them out and I clapped along with all of them."
Abramson stressed the changes the board has already made, such as opening a Board of Trustees web site and accepting e-mail responses, complaints and suggestions.
According to Abramson, the new board will be more transparent than in previous years, adding, "these are important changes and we should have made some of these changes sooner."
"I think the thought is there, but they haven't figured it out at all," Linehan said about the board. "We're the ones saying, 'You can do this, you can do that.' It's completely reactive, not proactive. They've still got a long way to go, I think."
Acting President Kerwin said he was pleased with the new board, calling the meeting one of the most substantive meetings he has attended since becoming Provost eight years ago.
The topic of a student serving on the board was mentioned several times during the meeting, Abramson said. "We have heard loud and clear about student member or members on the board" said Abramson, adding that board members are "keeping an open mind on this and no one has made a clear decision either way yet."
Kerwin said the biggest challenge won't be the decision to have a student voice on the board, but deciding what the representative's powers and duties should be.
Student representation is about the most relevant argument that students can make to the board, said Vice Chairman Gottschalk.
The students who spoke with Gottschalk expressed concern over Former President Ladner's severance package. "Students will not stand for the severance package" SPA senior Brian Kruglak told Gottschalk. Gottschalk said the decision on the severance package was not an easy one to make.
Abramson said the Ladner issue was not up for debate. "All I can say is we've signed a Contracted obligation with Ladner" said Abramson.
