By Anne Levin

Early this month, Rider University’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) created a resolution calling for the removal of President Gregory Dell’Omo from his position.

The resolution says Dell’Omo’s strategic policies, which have included attempts to sell the longtime campus of Rider-affiliated Westminster Choir College in Princeton, “have led to a weakening of the University’s financial condition that includes but is not limited to multiple years of cash deficits — a first in the history of the University; dramatic and dangerous increases in University debt; and three downgrades of the University’s bond rating.” Also mentioned are “a 19 percent decline in fulltime enrollment, reducing Rider’s enrollment to its lowest point in over 20 years.”

Last week, the AAUP sent out a survey to all of its members, asking if they support the call for the board of trustees to remove Dell’Omo. The survey remained open until 5 p.m. Tuesday. By mid-afternoon, returns stood at 86 percent in favor, according to Joel Phillips, a professor of music theory and composition at Westminster Choir College of Rider University.

“This is not only an expression of no confidence,” Phillips said Tuesday morning. “It’s ‘remove him.’ He has failed to meet most of the goals in his own strategic plan. Plus, his financial management has been abysmal. He has written to faculty and staff, and said that this year Rider would have a $20 million cash deficit. That’s astounding.”

Asked for comment, Kristine Brown of the University’s Office of Communications wrote in an email, “No comment at this time.”

The AAUP issued the resolution after Dell’Omo announced a voluntary separation program to employees at the end of January, via email.  Students were also notified. The goal of the program is to cut down payroll and benefit expenses to help supplement the $20 million deficit. The program would apply to faculty and staff who are not represented by the AAUP. Those who sign up would get a lump sum payment. According to The Rider News, it would be equivalent to one week per year of service for a minimum of six weeks

and maximum of 26 weeks, and a payout of all accrued, unused vacation and personal time.

In the FAQ (frequently asked questions) portion of the Rider website, it reads, “Unless the voluntary separation program is sufficient to meet the University’s financial goals, involuntary separations will follow.”

“It’s really a threat saying either volunteer to quit, and we’ll give you a little something, or you’re fired,” said Phillips. “But if you ask to do the voluntary separation and we determine your job is too important, we’ll refuse to let you quit. So you conclude that they already know who they want to get rid of.”

In an interview in The Rider News, Dell’Omo blamed the pandemic for declining enrollment. “There is no way they can put a good spin on this,” Phillips said. “It’s not COVID, or the environment. When we look at the schools that the administration says are our competitors, they are doing fine.”

Dell’Omo has been president of Rider since 2015. The AAUP passed a no-confidence vote against him after he cut academic programs and tried to lay off tenured faculty in 2017. The current resolution calling for his removal is unprecedented.

Dell’Omo was behind a decision to sell the Princeton campus of Westminster Choir College, which has been a part of Rider since 1992. After the sale of the campus to a Chinese company did not go through, Rider moved Westminster students to its Lawrenceville campus in 2020. The Princeton campus is unsold. There are pending lawsuits against Rider by members of the Westminster Foundation, a group of alumni and other supporters who want to restore the music school to its original campus.

“The Westminster thing is a big part of this,” said Phillips. “The whole series of events Dell’Omo initiated in 2016 have contributed to reduced enrollment, reduced tuition income, and reduced retention — every metric. Westminster itself accounts for tens of millions of dollars of loss over these few years. They have spent in the millions just on attorneys and consulting fees, and $2 million in moving to Lawrenceville, to inadequate facilities. But that’s certainly not the only piece. It affects everything on the Rider campus now.”

Will the board vote to remove Dell’Omo? “They should, but we don’t know if they will,” said Phillips. “They have supported him during all of these bad decisions. But at some point when you’ve got somebody who is running the place into the ground, you have to take action. Our circumstances are quite extraordinary.”