The NEIU Faculty Senate passed a resolution for the Board of Trustees to immediately remove President Gloria J. Gibson from office. President Gibson made a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for communications between former NEIU trustee Charles Serrano and 11 individuals of the NEIU community. Included were faculty administrators and The Independent’s News Editor, Dan Maurer.

The resolution stated that President Gibson violated the values of NEIU on February 27, 2023, by making a FOIA request for emails and text messages between Serrano and Maurer. The Faculty Senate said the FOIA request “functioned to instill fear and silence all her present and future student journalist critics.”

The resolution asked the NEIU Board of Trustees to take action to protect student journalists with their interactions with the university community including the president.  Incorporated are the legal protections afforded under current state and federal law, and protecting freedom of the press and reporter’s privilege. Additionally the resolution urges President Gibson to apologize to Maurer and the NEIU student community.  Lastly, the resolution states the Board of Trustees should act immediately to remove President Gibson from the presidency to prevent her from causing further damage.

Charles Serrano, a former Board of Trustees Member, resigned effective February 1, 2023. In a statement to Craine’s Chicago Business on March 3, 2023, Serrano says he resigned midterm due to the board’s lack of strategic planning and ongoing problems with university administration.  

Dr. Gloria Gibson has accused Serrano of gender and racial discrimination and ethics violations after the board decided in 2022 not to renew her contract as president, as reported by WBEZ Chicago.

Before the resolution passed, Dr. Gibson verbally apologized to Maurer, saying, “I offer my heartfelt apology to Dan Mauer, at no time should my personal or legal issues with the university impact a student.”

The Board of Trustees announced on March 20th they are spending $100,000 on an executive search firm to find a new president because NEIU President Gibson’s contract expires on June 30, 2023.  

The Independent spoke to a staff member in the president’s office asking Dr. Gibson for comment or an interview but they referred to Christopher Childers, Executive Director of Marketing and communications at NEIU. Childers said it’s a personal issue between the president and the university and because litigation may be involved the president will not comment. He said he needs to protect the university’s interests and wants students to feel comfortable coming here.  

Faculty senators also discussed their frustration with Dr. Gibson and the executive cabinet with their attempts to pass a Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statement in the university curriculum. The Faculty Committee on Academic Affairs has been attempting to pass a DEI statement in the curriculum for the last four years. Adam Goldstein stated, “It’s astounding…that [it has taken a] four year process for doing the right thing.”