Friends of Principia #2

Dear Friends of Principia #2,

So much has occurred in the last week. So much has been accomplished in the last 3 days. I trust you’ve been following at www.truthatprincipia.org . I felt great hope when I read the following at 5:30 pm last night:

Faculty vote no-confidence in CEO/Chairman Stuart Jenkins

On Wednesday, January 31, the Principia College

The faculty carefully weighed the decision by meeting with Mr. Jenkins twice, as well as with former trustees Gary Krisel and Dr. Traci Bliss. While this by no means signals an end to the questions of good governance, it certainly opens the dialog between the Trustees and the com-munity in a formal and significant way. Faculty voted 71 for, 2 against a resolution of "no confidence" in Stuart Jenkins. There were 4 abstentions.

Most importantly this vote represents a new found collective voice…an example of Principia employees standing up and speaking out. Standing up in the face of false promises, intimidation and threats and speaking out after months of hushed conversations about how to stem the tide of dismissals and change in focus. Significantly this vote followed a series of meetings with “all sides”, so this represents an informed vote.

The following meetings have also been scheduled:

· Dual campus Faculty/Staff annual meeting (with Trustees in attendance) - Friday, 2/2

· Trustee meeting with senior Faculty - Friday, 2/2

· Trustee meeting - Monday, 2/5

Here are the meetings that have already taken place:

• Faculty Senate meeting – Thursday 1/25 1:00-3:00
• All Elsah Staff had a meeting with Mr. Jenkins on 1/25 from 1:10 to 2:20.
• The meeting between Chairman/CEO Stuart Jenkins and Staff on 1/25 from 4:00 - 7:00 was with Academic Staff only.
• Additional Faculty Senate meeting – Friday 1/26 1:00 - 2:00
• Open campus meeting with former Trustee Gary Krisel – Friday 1/26 4:00-6:00
• On Monday, 1/29 4:00 p.m. the meeting with Stuart Jenkins in Wanamaker Hall was opened to Staff Senate as well as Faculty Senate
• A meeting between Chairman/CEO Stuart Jenkins and all St. Louis Faculty and Staff took place in the Game Room on the St. Louis campus on Tuesday, 1/30 at 3:00 p.m.
• A meeting between Dr. Traci Bliss (former Trustee) and Elsah Faculty via teleconference took place in Wanamaker Hall on Tuesday, 1/30 at 4:30 p.m.
• Faculty meeting with CEO Stuart Jenkins - Monday 1/29 12:45, with a 4:00 follow-up
• [I know there has been at least one meeting of students with Stuart Jenkins.]

Here are the meetings that are scheduled over the next 5 days.

• Dual campus Faculty/Staff annual meeting (with Trustees in attendance) - Friday, 2/2
• Trustee meeting with senior Faculty - Friday, 2/2
• Trustee meeting - Monday, 2/5

I have received many responses to my January 29 e-mail. I am amazed at how many respondents related personal experiences that made them eager to speak up [in support of the faculty, staff and the Moffetts] and out [in telling the Development Office and Trustees how concerned they were about the direction Principia is going and their resolve to withhold dollars and/or support for them until Stuart Jenkins and those who are reticent to remove him and invite the Moffetts to remain are no longer governing Principia.].

From the feedback I am certain that the strong feelings so evident in the worldwide Principia family are being conveyed by e-mail to those now at Principia. Your voices will have a dramatic impact. Now, as ever, Principia is more a significant window to the world rather than a small isolated rural campus.

Some housekeeping:

*Development officer Steve Abbott’s email address is steve.abbott@principia.edu

*The Moffett’s email addresses are:

George [pres@prin.edu], Martha[mrmcs@earthlink.net]

The following paragraph is excerpted from the January 12, 2007 Pilot metaphysical article by Stefanie Palmer.

Still anxious about the future of Prin? This passage from Miscellaneous Writings nudges me back on track, “Never ask for tomorrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment” (Misc 307:2). I think that is where the familiar phrase “worry is ingratitude in advance” sprang from. Let’s treasure where we are right now.

Hymn 141

If the Lord build not the house

They that labor build in vain;

Father, may our corner stone

Stand foursquare, without a stain.

Make our planting timely, true

Governed by a power benign;

Nourish by a heavenly dew

All the branches and the vine.

.

With gratitude.

Paul D. Schmidt JD GRI

www.paulschmidt@principia.edu

503.799.4534

Fruitful shall our tillage be,

Known the work of perfect mind,

Leaves be gathered from the tree

For the healing of mankind.

Cleansing men of fear and hate, Lifting hope above the sod, Truth will summon, soon or late, All the earth to worship God.