NEWS RELEASE

PRESS STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT BOB KERREY

NEW YORK, December 11, 2008 – New School President Bob Kerrey has issued the following statement in response to the December 10 faculty vote:

Seventy-seven faculty members at The New School voted no confidence in the management of the university yesterday. They asserted "Turnover [in the provost office] has made it virtually impossible for the faculty to be properly involved in thoughtful and effective academic planning.” I believe the opposite is in fact the reality. Things at The New School have not gotten worse; they have gotten better. Each change of provost has led to improvements, and the same will happen now.

Shared governance means shared responsibility, but we need to get this right. In these unprecedented, perilous times, we must take bold steps. We need to find increased operational efficiencies to keep tuition at the best possible levels for our students. This is our plan moving forward. And it will only work with the full cooperation of our administration and faculty alike through a direct and open dialogue.

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