By Greg Hazley
St. Louis University’s board of trustees has engaged Fleishman-Hillard for crisis counsel as the board clashes with faculty members and students critical of university president Lawrence Biondi.
Tensions flared this weekend after a letter from board president Thomas Brouster was posted on a pro-faculty Facebook page Dec. 1, noting a task force set up by the trustees hired F-H in early November and is limiting communications on the firm’s advice.
[F-H president Dave Senay is an alumnus.]
Brouster said administrators are acting on a commitment to keep discussions private and, with the advice of F-H, to be “cautious in how we have chosen to respond to the recent news reports.” He designated assistant VP for communications Clayton Berry as the university’s sole media spokesman and said F-H recommends that trustees and the board not respond to any letters, emails and phone calls from media, faculty and students.
Brouster said a full discussion will take place at the board’s Dec. 15 meeting.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Dec. 3 that the letter caused “immediate outrage among faculty and students,” which have been critical of administration’s communications during the tussle.
The letter was published a day after the board and faculty senate released a joint statement pledging “more frequent and effective communication.” |