Our direct ask: As alums of Salem College concerned about the management of our alma mater, we want the Board of Trustees to help facilitate a vote of confidence or no confidence by the staff and faculty of Salem College. 

On Monday May 9th, reports began to surface that ed professor and Dean had been - without warning - relieved of his position as the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and Dean of the College. Those on campus witnessed him being escorted by a Human Resources employee to pack his office suddenly and unceremoniously. When his replacement was announced the following day and that replacement was noted to be an interim, the Salem community suddenly became alarmed. There are few administrators - if any - as deeply respected. His sudden replacement brought attention that turned into incredible concern over how President Summer McGee has been managing the whole of Salem College since she arrived in July of 2021.

The concerns over President Summer McGee's management of employees of Salem College cannot be overstated. Former and current employees have reported to many alums that they have witnessed many unwarranted firings with an alarming number of those positions then filled by former colleagues of President McGee. Amongst the surprisingly large contingent of employees from Connecticut - where President McGee formerly worked - is her husband Dr. Glenn McGee who was appointed the Dean of Admissions. He was appointed to this position despite the fact that he has no prior direct experience in admissions. Though President McGee has tried to emphasize Glenn McGee's part in developing an admissions plan in a former role he held, a review of his public CV will show that has not held positions that would involve him in the regular work flow of an admissions office. While President McGee has tried to emphasize that he was chosen through a search process and decided to be the best match to the position, it is difficult to imagine that the most qualified candidate would not have any direct admissions experience. 

These concerning developments have been joined by many staff, faculty, and current student concerns that are being whispered behind closed doors to trusted Salem community members. Those currently at Salem have largely been reporting that their complaints remain whispers because of how swiftly President McGee and her administration retaliate by firing those who do not expressly and completely agree with her positions. While anonymous sources are often difficult to trust, it is also important to remember that the livelihoods of these employees are at risk if they speak out; they have seen countless colleagues be unjustly treated for doing just that time and time again this year. As an institution that was originally founded in 1772 to serve a marginalized population, our community must remain deeply committed to supporting vulnerable voices. In this case, there is a chorus of vulnerable voices in the employees of Salem College that are being mistreated in their workplace... our beloved community.

Many of these issues were brought to President Summer McGee, the Board of Trustees, and other offices at Salem College. The concerns of invested alums were met with an online town hall where President McGee would answer our questions and concerns. While President McGee answered many questions, many of those in attendance found her answers to be lacking. In particular, she unambiguously said, "no," when asked if the unceremoniously fired Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and Dean of the College was escorted off campus by an HR employee on Monday. This is in direct opposition to eyewitness accounts. 

While this action was ignited in part by our community's passion for the incredible work the improperly fired Dean has done at Salem College, we do not want our concerns to be dismissed as only being tied to the incredible educator and administrator that he has been for Salem College - though that alone would certainly be enough. The reports coming from our alma mater about the abusive and mismanaged culture at Salem College need to be addressed to where they are reported to be stemming from: the leadership of President Summer McGee.

As stated above: As alums of Salem College concerned about the management of our alma mater, we want the Board of Trustees to help facilitate a vote of confidence or no confidence by the staff and faculty of Salem College. We want to hear directly from the hardworking and dedicated employees who work under her guidance if they are confident in her leadership abilities. A vote of confidence or no confidence would allow employees of Salem College to give honest and unambiguous feedback on if they are confident in her abilities without fear of retaliation.

Those who sign this do not sign it out of a hatred for Salem or even President McGee but rather a love for an institution that has supported and educated countless people. We believe in a future for Salem College that is bold and meaningful, but that can only happen if those leading our alma mater act in ways that are ethical. Do not ignore the countless statements and emails that are coming from many alums who are telling you that our donations are no longer arriving in the Salem College mailbox until the behavior and leadership of President Summer McGee is properly addressed.