By Associated Press
A plan to identify freshmen most likely to fail has erupted into a scandal, faculty firings and a demotion at Mount St. Mary’s University after the Catholic school’s president reportedly likened the students to baby rabbits that should be killed.
President Simon Newman is a former financial-industry executive hired in 2014 to lead the college in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He hasn’t denied a Jan. 19 report in The Mountain Echo student newspaper that he told a faculty member opposed to the so-called student-retention plan, “This is hard for you because you think of the students as cuddly bunnies, but you can’t. You just have to drown the bunnies … put a Glock to their heads.”
Newman told The Frederick News-Post last week that he had said something to that effect but couldn’t recall the exact words. University Board of Trustees Chairman John Coyle wrote on the school’s website Jan. 22 that Newman “did use an inappropriate metaphor” and has apologized. Newman didn’t immediately respond to an interview request through a school spokesman Tuesday from The Associated Press.
Coyle’s message also said the board had conducted an investigation that concluded the Mountain Echo story was a “deliberate mischaracterization” of the program, perpetrated by “an organized, small group of faculty and recent alums working to undermine and ultimately cause the exit of President Newman.” Coyle wrote that those responsible would be held accountable.
On Friday, Newman sent a campus-wide email saying he had requested and received the resignation of David Rehm as provost, a senior administrative position, although Rehm would remain on the faculty. The Mountain Echo story contained quotes from Rehm’s emails to Newman, criticizing the student-retention plan.
Newman wrote in his campus email Friday that it’s common practice for a new president to make senior leadership changes.
