Rider faculty union votes ‘no confidence’ in university president

LAWRENCE (Mercer) — The faculty at Rider University has overwhelmingly passed a vote of no-confidence against President Gregory Dell'Omo.

The vote comes as the Mercer County college tries to map out its financial future in the face of declining enrollment and its plan to put the Westminster Choir College up for sale as a step to fend off a potential $13 million deficit.

“A series of rash actions by President Dell'Omo and a decade of dubious financial management have compelled Rider’s faculty to pass this motion,” Art Taylor, professor of information systems and president of the Rider AAUP, said in a statement about the vote on Wednesday in which 75 percent voted no confidence.

Taylor said this was the unit's first  no-confidence vote ever taken.

Taylor cites layoffs Dell'Omo tried to put in place after taking office in 2015 and what he said was the president's "refusal to negotiate" with the union as reasons for the faculty vote.

Dell'Omo in a statement said he was disappointed in the vote but said he would continue to meet with faculty groups on campus to discuss the schools' long-term stability and competitiveness and believes that everyone involved has same the goal.

"With the support of the Board of Trustees and the work of my administrative team, I am confident we can all work together collaboratively to shape a positive future for Rider University," Dell'Omo said.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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