Point Park University faculty give initial vote of no confidence in its president

The assembly representing Point Park University faculty passed an initial vote of no confidence this week regarding President Chris Brussalis, citing issues including inadequate communication and lack of shared governance.

Of the 80 faculty present during Monday’s closed session, 63 later voted in favor, 11 opposed, and six in attendance did not cast a ballot, according to a letter obtained by TribLive summarizing the vote.

An ad hoc committee of professors on the private Downtown campus will now draft a letter to outline their grievances, Faculty Assembly President Jonathan Trueblood wrote in the letter to colleagues.

“It’s important to share this information with you all in the spirit of transparency and shared governance,” he wrote.

The school’s board of trustees responded with a statement expressing deep disappointment with the vote and support for the president.

“President Brussalis has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to the long-term success of our institution, navigating the challenges of the higher education landscape with integrity, transparency and a clear vision for our future,” it read.

Brussalis was not available to be interviewed Friday, and Point Park spokesman Lou Corsaro said the university had no comment beyond the board’s letter.

No confidence votes are non-binding but are often a blemish on leadership. This one was taken amid rising discontent among some employees, even as the school pursues an ambitious strategic plan.

On Thursday, Brussalis disclosed plans for an $80 million to $100 million events and athletic center Downtown.

In recent years, Point Park with 3,300 students has faced belt-tightening and program cuts in a difficult student market.

Reached for comment Friday, Trueblood summed up the concerns this way:

“Faculty feel as though their voice is not being heard, that there is a lack of communication and shared governance in policies and decisions related to the university,” he said. “There are a lot of contributing factors that were discussed during the executive session of the assembly, and the vote total shows the faculty’s frustration.”

His letter to colleagues said another closed-door meeting of the faculty will be held later this month to review the letter and have a second vote.

University leaders are currently in labor talks with the faculty union.

“We are deeply disappointed by these actions taken in the midst of ongoing, productive negotiations with the full-time faculty union,” the board’s letter stated.

The Faculty Assembly is separate from the union, the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh.

Karen Dwyer, an English professor, coordinator of the creative writing program and negotiator with the union, said there is a misconception that this no-confidence vote flows from a labor dispute. She said it’s something broader.

Brussalis was hired by the board last year without a national search. A number of senior administrators, including from the academic side, did not emerge from a search, either.

“The perception is that the Board of Trustees and upper management, including Christopher Brussalis and the executive level, their vision of this university does not include faculty input, nor does it include actual faculty persons in any way,” she said. “And so there’s this chasm growing between the vision of the university and the people tasked with actually working with students.”

The board’s letter, meanwhile, pointed to new student enrollment gains “reflecting growing interest in Point Park’s academic programs.”

It also pointed to endowment and annual fund growth so far in his brief tenure.

“To further enhance academic quality, 12 new full-time faculty members have been added, boosting the institution’s teaching capacity and expertise,” it read.