Faculty, Mazey face off

File photo. BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey. (Photo: Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune)

As the long Faculty Senate meeting wound to a close Tuesday, President Sheri Wells-Jensen reflected on the conversation that had dominated the proceedings.
"This discussion was a long time coming," she said.
That discussion had Bowling Green State University President Mary Ellen Mazey, face-to-face, engaging members of the faculty in a courteous, yet contentious debate.
The spark for the conversation was the announcement of the non-renewal of contracts for 30 non-tenure tract full-time faculty members.
But even that number is subject to debate. It does not include faculty members who have one-year terminal contracts.
If those faculty are included, the union maintains, the numbers increase to 40.
"Some very productive people have lost their jobs," said Peter Blass, of the Chemistry Department. "They're very good teachers ... they're what brings people to BGSU ... I can't see how this will not affect the quality of education at BGSU."
"We'll work to make sure that doesn't happen," Mazey said.