IU community has a right to know

The recent outcry against IU President Adam Herbert's decision to restart the chancellor search and leave College of Arts and Sciences Dean Kumble Subbaswamy out in the cold perfectly illustrates what interactions between administration, faculty and students are lacking at IU-Bloomington: any degree of transparency. \nFaculty and students have a right to be informed about the administration's activities, especially those affecting so many facets of University life. \nConfidentiality has attempted to keep the search for a chancellor controlled and unchallenged by discordant voices. True, it is improbable that thousands of students and faculty members could reach a consensus about who the next chancellor should be. Many students, as well as some faculty members, might be too ignorant or apathetic about the search to make any meaningful contribution to the effort. So a committee was appropriately instituted to assist Herbert in making a choice in the best interests of us all. A chancellor search committee is an efficient and effective way for professors to collaborate with the president in selecting and considering nominees for the chancellorship. \nBut Herbert's decision became controversial when he kept those most affected by his and the committee's decisions -- the faculty and students -- out of the loop.\nNeither faculty nor students can trust a decision made by Herbert or the search committee unless they are informed about the chancellor's duties and the president's criteria for an ideal candidate. Herbert has stated that he wants to choose a chancellor who will act in the best interests of the University. By keeping his explanations vague, Herbert's decision to dismiss Subbaswamy is much more controversial. \nFaculty and students want to know why Subbaswamy has been dismissed as a candidate for chancellor. According to a Web site announcing the chancellor search online, the next chancellor would "act as an advocate for Indiana University" and "(lead) planning and administrative functions for the campus and its programs." The chancellor would also be obligated to "maintain a close working relationship with campus deans, faculty, students, staff members and their respective organizations." \nMany people who have the best interests of IU at heart are confused by Herbert's decision to restart the search for candidates and do not see how Subbaswamy would fail to fulfill any of the above obligations and duties of chancellor with the competence he has demonstrated as Dean of COAS. Now is the time for Herbert to bite the bullet and justify his actions to the IU community. \nHerbert has agreed to meet with any faculty member who has questions about his decision, giving individuals a chance to have their questions answered. But he should share his criteria for an ideal chancellor publicly, as well. Divulging that information in the first place would not have hindered him from choosing a stellar nominee, and might have prevented the flurry of petitions and paperwork generated by irate faculty members this week.\nThe faculty has called an emergency meeting of the Bloomington Faculty Council for the first time since 1971 to voice concerns about Herbert's performance. The president would do well now to be candid with the IU community if he wants to gain the sympathy and support of those he is supposed to represent.