🎥 Students rally around FHSU president following critical faculty survey

By BECKY KISER and COOPER SLOUGH
Hays Post

A crowd of about 50 Fort Hays State University students and a few faculty members gathered on the lawn in front of FHSU President Dr. Mirta Martin’s house Monday to show their support of her.

“Fort Hays’ future. Our future is Mirta,” they chanted near a temporary bright yellow sign with the words “We Support Our President.”

Martin was the subject of criticism by some faculty members in an anonymous survey conducted recently by the FHSU Docking Institute of Public Affairs.

Results of that survey were shared with the Kansas Board of Regents last Thursday, Oct. 20, by FHSU Faculty Senate President Carl Miller, associate professor of philosophy. KBOR members were on campus for a regular meeting and dedication of the business college.

A group of FHSU students and faculty rallies in support of President Mirta Martin Monday.

“It seemed like there were some faculty that were speaking their concerns and kind of saying what they believed on the situation. … As students, we need to take the opportunity to be heard, as well,” said FHSU student Jared Tadlock following the on-campus rally.

One female student who did not want to be identified said she feels a kinship with Martin.

“She has a really similar story to what I have so I really connect with her,” she said. “She comes out to all of our art shows, our concerts, everything. I’ve never felt so supported by such a big figure in a university.”

Tadlock said Martin has also made a “great impact on my own life and my academic experience.”

“When Dr. Martin came to this school, it was pretty clear she wanted to make this a better institution for us,” Tadlock added. “So if we’re not using our voices to express our gratitude — it’s something I felt needed to be done.”

“President Martin is the future, and she’s bringing the change we haven’t had,” agreed faculty member Amanda Ergun, ESL (English as a Second Language) program director. “We had the same leadership for 27 years.

A flier urges Martin supporters to contact the Kansas Board of Regents.

“With all change, big and small, people kick and scream. This is change that will benefit the university as a whole. Some people as individuals are directly impacted in a way they don’t really desire, but as a whole, this is for the betterment of the entire university,” Ergun said.

Fliers were handed out with contact information for the Kansas Board of Regents.

In an email Monday evening to Hays Post, Dr. Gary Brinker, director of the Docking Institute, wrote there have been “some inaccurate interpretations of the results, and being the person who administered the survey, I need to address those inaccuracies immediately.”

Brinker told Hays Post late Tuesday afternoon he had just met with the chair of the university IRB (Institutional Review Board) which Brinker said is responsible for protecting human subjects used in research.

“I was told ‘do not disseminate any more information on the survey’ until the IRB reviews it,” Brinker said. “I expect them to meet as soon as possible, within the next three days or so. I plan to write and distribute a press release afterward.”

Brinker wrote in a second email Tuesday evening “I anticipate that no potential harm to subjects will be found and that my commentary of the survey and the validity of the way the results have been characterized will be released to you within a few days.”