RADFORD -- The Radford University faculty senate may soon consider a motion expressing no confidence in the academic leadership of Provost Wil Stanton.

Communications professor Gwendolyn Brown made the motion after a brief discussion of an investigative committee report released Wednesday. Consideration of the motion is not assured, however. As per faculty senate procedures, the motion was immediately tabled.

To be officially considered, a majority must vote to take up the motion at the Oct. 22 senate meeting. Without a majority vote, the motion could remain tabled, senate President Steve Owen said.

The report, generated by a special committee of the senate, was based on months of investigation of alleged policy and rules violations by top university administrators, including Stanton.

The committee found no wrongdoing in any of these cases, but it criticized the administration's top-down approach to decision-making, its lack of transparency and insufficient communication.

The report also alleges that the actions of Radford University President Penelope Kyle and other administrators have created a culture of fear at Radford that discourages dissent.

"Some are shaken, many are affronted, and all are troubled by the seeming disregard for their proper role in governance and curricular issues. All of this has resulted in an extremely low level of morale," Brown said. "The discontent and angst ... must be addressed and resolved so that we can then return our attention and energies to their proper place -- the education of our students."

Formed in April to look into the handling of curriculum changes and restructuring of academic programs, the investigative committee analyzed complaints submitted by faculty members and interviewed administrators including Kyle, Stanton and Vice President for University Advancement Cathy Greenberg.

The report, based on more than 460 pages of allegations submitted in writing by faculty, addressed widespread concern that administrators failed to consult faculty on major academic changes, such as shortening the semester length to 14 weeks and revising the university's strategic plan.

Committee member and political science professor William Hrezo told the senate that the report "is as conservative as it could possibly be ... most people in here think there are other issues we didn't look at."

Anonymous allegations were not accepted. Hrezo said every committee member heard from faculty members who were afraid to submit their allegations in writing, but those allegations were not investigated.

Some faculty senators asked that all the written allegations and supporting documents be made public or at least made available to senators.

Hrezo said the committee, which has been disbanded, feared liability issues could complicate the release of those documents. The committee and the senate requested legal advice from the assistant attorney general assigned to the university.

Both Hrezo and Owen said their requests for legal advice were denied.