Garrett Neese/DMG Students cross Michigan Tech’s campus in April 2022. At a board meeting Thursday a former dean, David Hemmer and others raised concerns about decision making and its impact on Tech’s reputation.

HOUGHTON — Several Michigan Technological University professors, including a recently fired dean, confronted Tech’s Board of Trustees about recent firings from high-profile positions during the public comment section of Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

Former College of Engineering Dean Janet Callahan and College of Sciences and Arts Dean David Hemmer were both removed from their posts in June. Hemmer was among the four who spoke against his firing in public comment Thursday.

In a letter to the board that was subsequently posted on a Reddit forum devoted to MTU, Hemmer said he and Callahan had both learned on June 20 they were being fired effective six days from then, after having been summoned to Provost Andrew Storer’s office from a campus retreat.

Hemmer said the timeline was vastly accelerated. Normally, he said in the letter, deans would be informed at the start of the previous academic year.

“Michigan Tech has an unfortunate reputation now,” he said during public comment Thursday. “We are an institution where leaders are jumping ship or being pushed overboard.”

Both had been encouraged to resign from the university and renounce their tenure, he said. Hemmer and Callahan both stayed at the university as professors.

They had been in their roles since 2018, when they both came to Tech from other universities: Hemmer had been at University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (UB), where he was chair and professor of mathematics, according to a biography on his Tech page. Callahan had been chair and professor of the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering at Boise State University.

The colleges are the two largest on campus, accounting for about 75% of the university’s faculty, Hemmer said Thursday.

Hemmer said he and Callahan had received “glowing evaluations” the year before they were dismissed. In his letter, he also said several members of the recent provost search committee had preferred him to Storer, who was named provost in March.

Hemmer said the culture at Tech has hampered the university’s efforts to recruit talent, noting difficulty in filling other administrative positions in recent months.

He had been reluctant to come to Tech, but was told it was a place where new administrators didn’t come in and “clean house,” he said.

“That culture that was described to me has been destroyed, and it’s been replaced by a culture of fear and uncertainty on campus,” he said Thursday. “This destroyed culture may not immediately be reflected in enrollment or research dollars, but it is corrosive. And it will be a legacy that unfortunately will hamper this institution for years to come.”

One of the three teachers who spoke in support of Hemmer Thursday was Susan Amato-Henderson, an associate professor of psychology at Tech before recently retiring. She had been co-chair of the review committee for Hemmer the year before. Stakeholders had been “overwhelmingly supportive,” she said.

Amato-Henderson said she had retired because the strain of working at Tech was affecting her mental and physical health.

“I put my heart and soul into my job over the years,” she said. “However, with the onset of the current ‘Do as I say and don’t ask questions’ leadership style, and the associated declining morale, I just didn’t see myself functioning well in the environment that’s been created.”

She urged the Board to take a look at faculty retention problems.

“I am not the only female leader who has chosen this path,” she said. “It speaks volumes regarding the current climate at Michigan Tech.”

President Rick Koubek and board members made few direct references to the letter and public comments Thursday. Board President Jeffrey Littman assured Hemmer the board had received his comments, and thanked him for sharing his concerns.

Koubek thanked those “who are transitioning from leadership roles,” naming Callahan and Hemmer.

Littman said the university is working on “disciplined and managed” growth, which includes changes. He used the example of the upcoming H-STEM building and new residential hall near the Rozsa Center. His opening remarks also addressed the retention issue.

“We will stretch our balance sheet a little to prudently support that growth,” Littman said. “Along that way, there are going to be many decisions we have to make — some are going to be easy, some a little tougher. It should be evident from our budgets the last couple of years that we have prioritized our people in this process, by leveraging the growth that we’re experiencing to improve our ability to attract and retain top talent with steadily improving pay and benefits.”

In a written statement responding to Hemmer’s statements provided Thursday afternoon, Provost Andrew Storer reiterated comments he made in June thanking Hemmer and Callahan for his service and stating they had played an important role for the university, especially during the pandemic. (In his letter, Hemmer referred to the statement as a “cursory summary” that “feels like an intentional slap in the face to both of us.”)

“While it is University policy to not comment on personnel matters, I will say that we are grateful to have him continue to share his many talents as professor,” Storer said.

Storer said the university’s focus is on the coming school year, touting the three new degree programs approved Thursday — as well as Tech’s new bachelor’s degree in nursing, which it approved earlier this year to replace the one previously operated by Finlandia University.

“This year’s incoming class of first-year students will again be one of the largest since the mid-1980s, and construction will soon begin on a new residence hall, which will help meet the housing needs that come with the increasing demand for a Michigan Tech degree,” he said. “It’s a great time to be a Michigan Tech Husky, and we are excited to welcome students back to campus soon.”