The issue: The results of last spring’s faculty wellness survey indicate the morale of Western’s faculty members has reached an unsettling low point.
Our view: Western needs to keep looking at ways to improve faculty morale and not minimalize the negative impact it could have on the university’s academic reputation.
Morale is the classic example of a double-edged sword.
When it’s high, morale can motivate lukewarm fans to will their team to victory or provide the boost a stagnant business needs to rake in record profits.
On the other hand, sports seasons have been ruined by low team morale and vacations have been wrecked by collective unhappiness.
After an economic downturn slashed educational funding across the board, President Gary Ransdell now finds himself at the bottom end of that scale looking up.
It’s not going to be easy raising the spirits of disgruntled faculty and staff members, but it’s a battle that will be crucial for the continued success of the university.
The Herald feels that poor communication between the administration and faculty members is the biggest ongoing reason for the low morale.
Both sides are so busy trying to set each other up as the antagonist that they fail to realize they share a common goal: pursuing a solution that’s best for Western and its students.
Ransdell’s campus-wide listening tour is a great first step toward fixing a very delicate and complicated issue.
To help ensure its effectiveness, both Ransdell and the faculty must remember their responsibilities going into each session of the tour.
Faculty members must remember to be patient and keep an open mind when attending their session.
Like Ransdell said, Western’s facing a financial crisis that’s forcing the university to “live within its means” right now.
Translation: It’s going to take some time to work out financial concerns.
On the flip side, Ransdell needs to toss out his talking points and make every session an open discussion from the first minute.
He should also avoid oversimplifying the situation and instead use the sessions as an opportunity to learn what other factors have contributed to this issue.
The Herald believes that low morale can be a short-term problem if the administration places the appropriate emphasis on working out a mutually agreeable solution.
Allowing the issue to stagnate will only turn away new professors who’ve heard of Western’s negative reputation concerning faculty morale.
Once his listening tour is completed, Ransdell must keep the lines of communication that he’s established open and tuned into the concerns of faculty members.
It will also be important to keep students in the loop on any course of action the university decides to pursue.
The upward climb will be slow, but making the necessary strides will ensure that professors can continue to be the mentors their students need them to be.
For all the exciting things happening on campus, it would be a shame to let low spirits amongst the faculty ruin such an exciting time at Western.
And for those who think that could never happen, just remember: “The Spirit Makes the Master.”
This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Herald’s 11-member editorial board.
.