Two Kentucky newspaper editorials call into question a social gathering held for five or six Murray State Regents the night before a failed vote on renewing a four-year contract for MSU President Dr. Randy Dunn. MSU's Board of Regents voted 7 to 4 against extending Dunn a new four year contract on Friday. On Thursday evening Regent Sharon Green invited regents who don't live in Murray to her home for a social gathering. Board Chairman Constantine Curris told WKMS he thought 5 or 6 regents were in attendance and they discussed university business. But, Curris maintains nothing was discussed that would violate Kentucky's open meetings law.
The Paducah Sun's editorial is titled 'DUBIOUS Murray State regents owe answers on Dunn'the Louisville Courier Journal's editorial is titled "MSU's Closed Meeting" The C-J's editorial calls on the board to publicly state who attended the social gathering and revisit the vote on Dunn's contract. The editorial also calls on Governor Steve Beshear to remind the regents of the importance of adhering to open meetings law.
The Murray State University Staff Congress is publicly opposing the regents' decision, and the Faculty Senate is exploring the possibility of filing a complaint with the Kentucky's Attorney General regarding a possible open meetings violation. The social gathering may or may not be in violation of Kentucky's Open Meetings Law.
The Staff Congress released the following letter Tuesday.
19 March 2013 For Immediate Release On Behalf of the Murray State University Staff Congress I have been in contact with over half the members of the Murray State University Staff Congress since the conclusion of the Board of Regents meeting on Friday, March 15, 2013. The sentiments expressed by those members and others on the Murray State staff that have contacted me or that I have read address two issues. First, the Staff Congress would like to express its disappointment that the Murray State University Board of Regents voted not to extend the contract of Dr. Randy Dunn. The Staff Survey of 2011 gave the President high approval ratings and the Staff Congress recently passed a resolution expressing its support of the president and recognizing his support of the staff. The staff of Murray State University and the faculty as well have benefited from Dr. Dunn’s shared governance policy. Second, the members of the Congress and other staff members are concerned at the manner in which the board operated. When the ad-hoc contract committee was established, it was for the purpose of conducting further research regarding the contract and compiling additional information which was to be conveyed to the full Board at its March meeting. This is what was outlined in the minutes of the committee’s February meeting. On Friday, the committee approved those minutes in their morning meeting and then adjourned. In the quarterly meeting of the full Board that afternoon, the committee presented those minutes for approval and concluded their report. It was then immediately indicated that a vote was to be taken. While the Board is free to act as it sees fit within the statutes under which it is legally required to operate, one is left to wonder why material that had been given to the committee and which had been reported in various media outlets, three examples being the Faculty Senate Resolution, the Staff Congress Resolution and the letter from the area Public School Superintendents, as well as other materials the committee was to gather were not presented before a vote was taken. In conclusion, the general feeling is one of sadness and disappointment in Dr. Dunn’s contract not being extended and one of deep concern regarding the actions of the Board of Regents. Respectfully, John P. Young, Jr., President Murray State University Staff Congress
