A group of Rhode Island College faculty and staff has sent a strongly-worded letter to state officials, warning that college President Nancy Carriuolo is taking RIC in the wrong direction. The letter comes as the State Council on Post Secondary Education conducts an annual personnel review for Carriuolo.
In the letter, 14 RIC faculty and staff members accuse Carriuolo of mismanaging the college and firing or reassigning employees who disagree with her.
Geography Program Director Mark Motte, one of the few willing to speak publicly, cited staff turnover for destabilizing the college.
“I’m concerned about the quality of education that we’re able to offer when morale is as low as I’ve ever seen it in 20 years,” Motte said. “Equally problematic is what I’ve noticed as a professor among my students, and that is increased disaffectation and alienation from the college.”
Rhode Island College officials declined to comment directly on the letter, which cites a union survey that found just 10 percent of respondents trust senior leadership at RIC.
Rhode Island Higher Education Commissioner Jim Purcell said he welcomes the feedback as part of the personnel review process.
“Every year the Council reviews each of the presidents at the state institutions, considering their vision and accomplishments. The Council values the input of the college community, and we will certainly take the faculty feedback into consideration,” Purcell wrote in an email.
