Considering a proper midterm evaluation

A resolution, drafted by the IU-Bloomington faculty, might soon arrive at the doorstep of the IU board of trustees. It calls for a midterm review of IU President Adam Herbert's job performance. Right now, the board has not committed to holding such a review. But if it does, it should consider a few things first:\n• The scope of serious allegations addressed in the resolution is vast and vague. For any kind of proper review to take place, there needs to be a central focus. The resolution faults the president for everything from how he prioritizes his schedule to a lack of visibility to flubbing communications with IU donors. As far as we can tell, the decision to re-open the search for an IUB chancellor seems to be just a catalyst for the faculty's long-held discontent. Since then, it has blossomed into something else entirely and it needs to be reined in.\n• Cooperation among all involved parties is an absolute must. The resolution says senior University administrators, IU Foundation board members, major donors, state business and government leaders, alumni and faculty are concerned with the president's job performance. But it doesn't give names and only goes so far as to say "many of whom claim first-hand knowledge of the matters reported." The president's critics and his defenders should be able to speak freely; otherwise a comprehensive review will be impossible.\n• Inquiries into performances are notoriously vicious. No one asks for a midterm review of the University president with the intention of highlighting the positive accomplishments. Any review of Herbert should be fair and impartial, and the faculty should respect the review's perimeters. \n• We believe it is important to address concerns promptly, but we question if it really is practical. We agree with trustee Jeffrey Cohen, who told the Indiana Daily Student Thursday the board's highest priority is not reviewing the president, but rather getting a Bloomington chancellor. The trustees, who are empowered by the state to be the only body with authority to investigate IU's president, are facing an agenda of their own. Unlike Herbert, the trustees hold jobs outside their service to the University, and it will take longer than a few weeks to review the president's job performance.\n• Finally, while it is true many faculty members are adamant about the review, at this point, the concerns are coming solely from faculty members on the Bloomington campus. Herbert is the president of IU, not the president of the Bloomington faculty. We firmly believe any review would be wise to consider the input of IU's students and its seven other campuses -- all of which have faculty and administrators affected by Herbert's decisions. To ignore these vital components of the University would leave any review by the trustees incomplete and unfair.