A day before the Radford University faculty senate was expected to take up a motion expressing no confidence in the leadership of Provost Wil Stanton, the university board of visitors called for unity in a statement to the campus community.

The open letter distributed by e-mail Wednesday responded to the Oct. 8 release of a faculty investigation of President Penelope Kyle and her administration that found no violations of university policy but chastised Kyle and staff for a top-down approach to decision-making, a lack of transparency and for fostering a culture of fear that discouraged dissent.

The report led communications professor and faculty senator Gwendolyn Brown to propose the motion of no confidence in Stanton's leadership.

Stanton, a longtime Radford professor, became the university's second provost in 2007. Stanton was promoted after the demotion of the school's first provost, Ivelaw Griffith, nine months after Kyle hired him.

According to its agenda, the senate will take up the no-confidence motion at its 3:30 p.m. meeting today in Heth Hall.

In its letter, the board of visitors acknowledged continued discontent among faculty and addressed the recent termination of administrators Michael Dunn and Marc Jacobsen and their subsequent reinstatement after public protests by faculty, students and alumni.

The board also emphasized recent overtures, including public apologies, made by Kyle and Stanton to repair relations with the faculty.

The letter emphasized recent achievements, including the implementation of the university's first doctoral programs and launch of a $211 million capital expansion program and called for unity in the face of continued state budget cuts.

"Though faculty, students, alumni, administrators and board members sometimes see issues from different perspectives, we are united by a shared commitment to a great university. Radford has a bright and vibrant future, and we need to work together to build it," the letter stated. Its entire text follows:

An Open Letter to the Radford University Community from the Board of Visitors

By its nature, the role of the Board of Visitors is an advisory and a fiduciary one. Though we are broadly engaged with university affairs, we are not typically involved with the daily issues of campus life. Sometimes events happen, however, that are so important for the university, we feel compelled to comment. This is such a time.

Earlier this month, a special Ad Hoc Investigative Committee (AHIC), commissioned by the Radford University Faculty Senate to look at possible violations of internal governance policies and university values, released its final report. Many members of the Radford University faculty worked very hard over a six-month period to produce the report. We commend everyone who was a part of this process, and understand that every participant was motivated by a sincere desire to do what is best for the future of Radford University. That faculty members were concerned enough to devote the time they did to this project while still addressing the demanding responsibilities they face as teachers, researchers and scholars speaks clearly to us about the depth of their concerns.

The study considered a range of issues including expedited program review, the development of a core curriculum and the restructuring of departments, schools and colleges. We were pleased to note that the study concluded that there were no violations of university policies, though it did identify concerns about the degree of faculty engagement in institutional decision-making and perceptions of problems with organizational communications.

There is value in looking at issues from different perspectives, and we understand that the faculty is raising concerns about their role in the decisions that shape the future of the university. Clearly, there is a role for faculty and there is a role for administrative leadership in university decision making. We have the utmost respect for the expertise of the faculty and understand that their comments and suggestions about policies inform the process with wisdom and probity. At the same time, the board has many different constituencies to consider as it presides over the affairs of the university. We realize that many issues, including the most difficult and contentious, must ultimately be resolved by the administration. President Kyle and Provost Stanton have worked diligently over the past six months to improve communications and collaboration between the administration and the faculty. Much progress has been made, and we acknowledge that opportunities exist for continued improvement. We have confidence that the President and the Provost will continue to focus on dialogue and collaboration amidst an environment of trust and respect as they lead our university in the years ahead.

There is no doubt that we are in the midst of challenging times. We continue to cope with one of the worst recessions in the history of the United States. RU has sustained three consecutive budget cuts totaling approximately 35%, or $16 million in operating funds, over just the past two years. To the credit of the administration, they have so far managed these reversions in a way that has preserved all currently filled full time teaching and research positions, and protected the integrity of our academic programs. But budget pressures have had a damaging effect on every aspect of campus life. And even the most stalwart critic of the status quo must admit that money problems and rapid change can contribute to misunderstanding and turmoil. We have had our share of that. First we dealt with the untimely and inappropriate dismissal of two long-term employees in the Division of Student Affairs. As soon as that situation was resolved and addressed, controversy erupted over the AHIC report. Many of the issues on campus have generated negative media coverage, which has cast a poor light on our university and proved discouraging for everyone.

The irony is that RU is accomplishing great things. We are doing what successful universities do. We are educating new generations of thoughtful and productive citizens, and our faculty members are making important contributions in the academic world. RU was one of only 77 colleges and universities in the nation to be recognized as “Up and Coming” on the basis of “promising and innovative change” by the 2010 U.S. News and World Report annual rankings. We have established the first doctoral programs in the history of Radford University. Working with the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), we have elevated our Faculty Salary Peer Group. We have launched a $211 million capital expansion and campus improvement program. We have a balanced and successful Division I intercollegiate athletics program, and our student-athletes led the Big South Conference on the Presidential Honor Roll this year. We have been recognized for excellence in management and efficiency as part of Virginia’s Restructured Higher Education Financial Administrative Operations Act. These are just a few examples, but it is helpful to acknowledge our accomplishments, especially in difficult times.

Radford University is going through enormous change and financial challenges. There will be more, and change, as well as the effects of limited financial resources, will not always be easy. Though faculty, students, alumni, administrators and board members sometimes see issues from different perspectives, we are united by a shared commitment to a great university. Radford has a bright and vibrant future, and we need to work together to build it.