Protests continue in the wake of Sam Olens’ appointment as Kennesaw State University’s next president, and at least one faculty member is filing a federal complaint against the selection process.
A group of mostly professors and staff members gathered on The Green Monday, Oct. 17, in silent protest of KSU’s incoming president.
Dr. Susan Raines, a professor of conflict management, said the primary objective of these protests — which will continue in the coming weeks — is to expose what protesters say is cronyism. Instead of conducting a national search and considering other candidates for the presidency, the Board of Regents appointed Olens to the position.
The protesters are calling for a search that consists of an open application and hiring process.
In a typical search, a committee narrows down applications to a pool of three candidates who are brought to campus to explain their vision for the university. This would allow for feedback from the KSU community, and the committee would then recommend one person to the Board of Regents.
Valdosta State University is currently using this process to find a new president, according to The Valdosta Times. Board of Regents Chancellor Hank Huckaby is requiring the selection committee to propose three to five candidates for the position at VSU.
After the board appointed Olens, however, Huckaby claimed that a national search for the position at KSU would be too costly. He estimated the process could cost between $200,000 and $350,000.
Because of the selection process, Raines has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging discriminatory practices in the appointment of Olens. Raines said she and other faculty members submitted applications for the role of president, but none of the applications were considered. The complaint will be filed in federal court next week.
“It will bring more attention to the hiring practices at KSU, which have long been dubious,” Raines said.
As a professor at KSU for 17 years, Raines has been a supporter and leader in the protests since they were first conducted on Oct. 3. In the days following the announcement of an Olens presidency, Raines was featured on multiple news outlets, but she says she does not want to be the face of the “NOLENS” movement.
“It’s kind of a leaderless movement,” Raines said. “I don’t really want to be the face or name of this movement.”
Raines has been contacted by three different people with lawsuits against either Olens or the Board of Regents for corruption and racketeering. She said those individuals warned Raines about how they were reportedly harassed, terrorized and intimidated in an effort to drop their lawsuits.
“It is fair to say that faculty — and certain staff that don’t have tenure — are very afraid of retribution from speaking out against Sam Olens,” Raines said. “If he does come and work here, [he] will be our boss.”
She urges students to be informed on the issue and wants them to be wary of what they say to media members about the protests and appointment of Olens.
Raines also said that another protest will occur on The Green Nov. 1 that will reportedly consist of hundreds of people, and there are rumors of an Occupy KSU movement on the same day. In this student-based movement, protesters reportedly plan to camp outside of Olens’ office until he steps down.
Olens’ first day as KSU’s president is Nov. 1.
