All students should feel safe & heard on Ball State's campus. This is why it's essential to address this issue: Brian Gallagher's continued presence on the Board of Trustees.

Brian Gallagher resigned from his position at United Way in 2021, one of the largest nonprofits in the world, as he faced intense scrutiny from national media for his retaliation against three other female executives at the charity who spoke up about sexual harassment they and other women had faced. Huffington Post reported:

"After reporting the misconduct, these women were abruptly sidelined by leadership, according to three separate claims filed in the past 18 months with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency that handles civil rights claims. Two were fired. The CEO [Brian Gallager] unsuccessfully pushed for the other woman’s termination."

Retaliating against female employees who stood up for women experiencing harassment and sexual assault -- is inexcusable and unconscionable. His resignation from United Way was inevitable in light of this scandal, yet his continued presence on the Board of Trustees at Ball State University as Vice President did not seem to bother other members of the Board of Trustees or the University Administration. 

The scandal, however, rocked the charity internally as more than 30 local branches penned a letter proclaiming their “Loss of confidence in Brian Gallagher’s leadership". As many as 220 local chapters committed to withholding their dues to the organization in protest of this scandal, and the ongoing culture of sexual harassment.  

There is an obvious risk attached to allowing someone with a history of retaliation against female employees to continue being in a position of power on a college campus.

Allowing Brian Gallagher to remain on the Board of Trustees not only taints Ball State’s reputation, as it did United Way, but also compromises the safety, inclusivity, and legitimacy of the campus environment. It is a privilege to serve on the board and he should have lost his position when this scandal emerged in 2020. 

The board's silence on this issue and the ongoing genocide in Palestine beg a very important question. When can the Board of Trustees be relied on to represent the interests of students, or to stand for basic tenants of human decency?  Who would want to work for, or go to, a university with an executive who's known nationally for his retaliation against advocates and survivors of sexual harassment/misconduct?

We demand that the Ball State Board of Trustees remove Brian Gallagher, denounce his actions, and commit to excellence in its mission of making campus a safer, more inclusive environment.