Commentary.
Kean University President Darwood Farahi continues to raise the ire of faculty. Within the last few months Farahi received a vote of “no confidence” by the faculty. In addition, the Middle States Association refused to renew the University’s accreditation, placing the higher education institution on “probation.” Loss of accreditation could destroy the value of any degree earned by students. Now, it has been reported that, on August 6, 2012, the faculty Senate delivered another “no confidence” vote against Farahi. The faculty Senate approved a statement saying that they have no confidence in Farahi’s ability to move the university forward.
Faculty President Dr. James Castiglione has reported that the Faculty Senate is especially concerned about the loss of accreditation, which will affect not only Kean University, but all of New Jersey higher education. According to Castiglione:
- “The Senate has been controlled by Farahi for years, but now even his allies are repudiating him.
- Farahi sent his Special Counsel, Ms. Felice Vazquez, to the meeting where she tried to derail the vote. Vazquez is formerly an Associate Attorney at WeinerLesniak, the law firm of State Senator Raymond Lesniak, who is a one of New Jersey’s most feared political power brokers and a close personal friend of Farahi. Her employment at Kean is understood as an effort by Lesniak to regain control of things at Kean and to report back to him.
- The vote comes one month before the next campus visit by Middle States on Sept 12 & 13. As you see from the 2 statements approved by the Senate, concerns about accreditation figured prominently in the vote.
- In a highly unusual move, several Trustees attended. Trustees have not attended Senate meetings for most of the last decade”.
The Kean University crisis has been largely ignored by the Governor. Unfortunately, if the Middle States Commission removes the University’s accreditation, the impact will negatively affect the value of every degree earned at a New Jersey college or university.
Dr. Salvatore Pizzuro, a disability policy specialist, holds a doctorate in Developmental Disabilities from Columbia University and an advanced degree in Disability Law from New York Law.
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