By Bridget Byrne
PUBLISHED: April 2, 2026 at 4:49 PM EDT

Anne Arundel Community College faculty say they have no confidence in the provost after a year of struggling with what they consider her poor communication, according to a faculty vote. School leadership stood behind Provost Tanya Millner, saying she maintained strong leadership and followed directives from the college’s board of trustees.

The no-confidence vote comes as college President Dawn Lindsay prepares to retire this summer, complicating the search for Lindsay’s replacement.

The vote came from The Faculty Organization, a body representing full- and part-time faculty in the college’s shared governance system. The organization also advises the college president. The group declined to share the no-confidence resolution and its exact reasoning, but TFO Vice President Zoe Farquhar said there was a breakdown in communication between faculty and Millner.

“It’s not isolated miscommunications with the provost. It’s a systemic problem. That’s why it became a vote of no confidence,” said Suzanne Spoor, a math professor who voted in favor of the resolution. “We did not take this lightly. We very carefully considered it because we understand that to come out in public like this and sort of air our dirty laundry in public is not something we want to do unless we are serious.”

 Millner did not respond to emails or phone calls from the Capital Gazette.

The breaking point, according to Farquhar, had to do with a faculty committee that historically had voting power on suspending or dissolving programs. That power was revoked earlier this year, and Millner, as vice president of learning, was considered responsible for doing so by some faculty. Faculty also argue that taking that voting power from them was a violation of the school’s charter. The voting power was restored, but faculty lost confidence in Millner.

Farquhar additionally said Millner suspended all regular meetings with faculty leadership after the faculty union was established in April 2025. TFO leadership asked Millner to restore the monthly meetings, but Farquhar said the faculty body has met with Millner twice since September.

Despite the body voting that is has no confidence in Millner, TFO leadership appears optimistic about working with the college to address its concerns. At the most recent board meeting, Millner indicated she would meet with the faculty, and Farquhar said they have a meeting scheduled this month.

 Of 250 TFO members, 190 attended the meeting where the vote was taken March 4. The vote had 137 members in favor, 37 opposed and 22 abstaining, according to TFO President Heather Riordan, who spoke to the board of trustees at its March 10 meeting.

“We just wielded one of our most powerful tools to communicate with you,” Riordan said at the meeting. “The work of the faculty begins now. TFO leadership and the TFO body are committed to seeking solutions. We are eager to collaborate and find a path forward that begins to rebuild the relationship between the faculty and the administration.”

Millner started as provost and vice president of learning in August 2021. Farquhar believes the breakdown in communication between her and faculty began last spring.

“There was some concern about the transparency of some decisions that the provost made that impacted the everyday work of the faculty,” Farquhar said.

 Nadine Chien, vice chair of the board of trustees, defended Millner at a Feb. 14 board meeting.

“We respect disagreement is part of shared governance and value meaningful dialogue,” Chien said. “Dr. Millner has reaffirmed faculty curricular oversight, confirmed appropriate committee involvement in review related to program suspensions and has been transparent about the accountability landscape ahead. These actions reflect responsible leadership and respect for governance roles.”

At the most recent board of trustees meeting, on March 10, Chair Joyce Price-Jones said the vote hurt her personally.

“Faculty and staff seem to be burning down the house,” Price-Jones said. “I was totally disappointed with the vote, because she’s only doing what we told her to do.”

Price-Jones also expressed frustration that the organization took the vote while the college was searching for its next president.

In November, Lindsay announced plans to retire after 13 years at the helm of the school. Her retirement will be effective June 30, and the board of trustees is searching for her replacement.

“We don’t want to bring the president into the middle of chaos, and that’s what I see this is right now,” Price-Jones said.

In a statement, Lindsay said she could not comment on some of the issues staff raised.

“I am saddened that the TFO chose a vote of no confidence in Dr. Millner, who has my full support and who continues to lead important work directed by the board of trustees and me,” Lindsay said. “While I take the vote very seriously, the TFO has raised a number of issues that need to be addressed through the collective bargaining process, which the union has yet to initiate.”

Have a news tip? Contact Bridget Byrne at bbyrne@baltsun.com or 443-690-7205.