Provost Lisa Lynch announced at Thursday’s faculty meeting that she will not be considered for the position of University president, which she will hold on an interim basis starting on July 1.

Lynch said that she accepted the position of interim president “on the understanding to not be a candidate for president.” Once a new president is selected, she will become the provost again.

During her provost report, Lynch detailed the plan which will go into action until a new University president is selected. Lawrence will continue his presidential duties until July 1, when Lynch will become interim president. Lynch said that she plans to work with the Senate on choosing a temporary provost and that the Board of Trustees and four faculty representatives will work on selecting the new president. Meanwhile, Lynch wishes “to focus on continuing to move forward” with “inviting the best graduate and undergraduate students” and “retaining faculty that make this university what it is.”

University President Lawrence and faculty members also discussed concerns about freedom of speech, as well as the transition process to a new University president and the number of snow days.

The discussion of freedom of speech addressed Lawrence’s email response to the "Concerned" listserv, a restricted email listserv on which faculty voiced their opinions on political issues, and the contents of which were partially released last July by student journalist Daniel Mael ’15. In response to several controversial comments in the listserv, Lawrence wrote in an email to the faculty that “some remarks by an extremely small cohort of Brandeis faculty members are abhorrent.” This email was also posted to the University 's website, and it was also discussed at a town hall meeting about free speech this week.

At the faculty meeting, Prof. John Plotz (ENG) asserted that Lawrence should share the specific individuals mentioned in the email because “people worry about being quieted by … authority.” In response, Lawrence explained that the letter was “not meant to punish but to comment.” During the discussion, Prof. Elizabeth Ferry (ANTH) directed her concern that “both civil and uncivil comments were being lumped together” when the leaked comments of the listserv members were “re-blogged.”

The discussion branched with additional topics involved in general academic discourse. For instance, professors shared their views on the need to prepare students on “possible objections” that arise during debates and the real issues involved in climate change in terms of global warming. Several professors expressed that they find it difficult to share their opinions in the “current climate” of the University. One professor recognized that the Internet has changed the “rules of discourse.”

Before the discussion, the meeting covered several reports by staff leaders. In his presidential report, Lawrence explained that this is his last academic year as president. He expressed gratitude to Lynch for her hard work and for the staff’s support through letters and phone calls. He ended the report with a remark that he “still believes the best days are yet to come.”

Lynch said in her report that there would be a “national search” for a Vice Provost for Research. The past few months, Prof. Irv Epstein (CHEM) held this position on an interim basis. She also detailed how the University planned to accommodate recent snow days, stating that if there is one more snow day, there will be an extra class on April 29, one of the final exam study days. If there are two more snow days, there will be class on an undetermined Sunday.

In his Senate report, Prof. Thomas Pochapsky (CHEM) said that there will be an upcoming meeting on Thursday, March 5, called “the faculty against climate threat” and that the next Faculty Senate meeting will be the upcoming Monday.