Faculty gives Kerrey no-confidence vote

NEW YORK, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey was given a no-confidence vote Wednesday by faculty at the New School, the New York university he has run since 2001.

The New York Times reported that since he was appointed university president, Kerry has clashed with faculty over his political views and what they call his lack of educational credentials.

On Wednesday, 74 senior, tenured faculty members voted for the no-confidence resolution, two voted no and one abstained, said Jim Miller, a professor of politics who is co-chairman of the Faculty Senate.

Critics say the goal of the vote is to pressure the New School's board of trustees to fire Kerrey for what they contend is a failure to defend the academic values of the institution.

Kerrey said he was not worried about the vote, saying that the meeting Wednesday was a fraction of the New School's 333 full-time and 1,733 part-time faculty.

As the school's president, Kerrey said has drawn controversy for his efforts to move New School "from one kind of university to another kind of university."