City Commissioner Susan Brinkman says Emporia State President Ken Hush should release the Workforce Management Framework that led to recent faculty dismissals and the full realignment program details — and provide the community with the sources that were used in making these decisions. 

“President Hush, you have taken our money and left us in the dark,” Brinkman said in a personal statement at the end of Wednesday’s commission meeting.

ESU dismissed 33 faculty and staff last week after the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) approved its Workforce Management Framework. University administration says more changes are coming.

Emporia’s taxpayers have contributed $950,000 this fiscal year to ESU “in good faith, in partnership and in collaboration,” Brinkman said during Wednesday’s commission meeting. Brinkman clarified in an interview that $350,000 had been from the city of Emporia and $600,000 had been from Lyon County.

Brinkman called for transparency and accountability if the community and the university are to “work together for the good of the whole.”

Brinkman made the statement because the commission has remained “largely silent” and as a commissioner she is a steward of taxpayer’s money.

Brinkman served as assistant director of the Center for Great Plains Studies at ESU until her position was eliminated and the center was closed in 2021 because of COVID-19, according to Brinkman.

Brinkman said she is concerned the community is only getting “small tidbits” of information over several weeks, but they don’t get to know what the plan is.

“Emporia State is making transformative changes to ensure we are a vibrant part of this community for years to come,” said Gwen Larson, director of media relations. “We understand that there is frustration that we have not been able to share all the details at one time, but additional information will be forthcoming as we can share that.”

Dan Colson, associate professor of English, modern languages and journalism and one of the faculty who was dismissed, said he appreciates Brinkman’s statement. What is happening at ESU has a direct impact on the community, Colson said.

Colson said the statement will probably not make any impact. 

“I think that President Hush seems to have insolated himself from most negative feedback,” Colson said.

Colson senses Hush will probably see Brinkman’s statement as “a little bit of bad PR” as he “weathers the storm.” Colson said he has also been trying personally to get a meeting with Hush and has received no response. 

“I think that Commissioner Brinkman’s specific call for release of the documents should just serve as a reminder that even those in the ESU community don’t have those yet,” Colson said. “So I certainly echo her calls for greater transparency.”

Sarah Spicer advises The Bulletin on stories about Emporia State’s framework to dismiss employees.