Last month, the president of Brandeis University resigned following declining enrollment, mishandling of student protests, and a vote of no confidence by the faculty. We have the same ingredients at Emerson.

Here are the milestones of President Jay Bernhardt’s tenure:

• A reputational black-eye from the disastrous handling of loud but peaceful protests last spring.
• 118 protesters arrested, putting Emerson on the national map for intolerance of student expression and gross overreaction to student protests in an alleyway.
• A vote by the Student Government Association calling for the president to resign.
• The majority of the Faculty Assembly voting to “censure” the president, and 90% demanding more say in the direction of the college.
• A significant drop in enrollment, prompted in part by images of police bundling students into prisoner vans.
• Staff layoffs for the first time in recent memory at Emerson.
• Unilateral rules issued over the summer—with no input from faculty or students—that have effectively silenced political dissent at this communications college.
• Closing of an incredibly inexpensive “Bright Lights” program that had shown politically uncomfortable films and firing of the director responsible for that.
• Creation of an atmosphere of oppression and intolerance that students say has altered the fundamental character of the college they came here for.
• Creation of a top-down authority that some faculty say has created the worst animosities with administration in 21 years.

The record is dismal and is leading to a downward spiral for Emerson: some students will inevitably push back against the gag rules; Bernhardt will try to crack down further and punish suspects; Emerson’s reputation as a liberal and tolerant college will plummet; enrollment will continue to plunge; staff/faculty cutbacks will continue as the college shrinks. We need someone with the competence and ingenuity to pull us out of that spiral—clearly Jay Bernhardt is not that person. 

For the good of Emerson, Bernhardt has to take his golden parachute and follow the Brandeis president out the door. It’s time for Jay to go.

Doug Struck (Sr. Journalist in Residence, Journalism), Vinicius Navarro (Associate Professor, VMA), John Gianvito (Professor, VMA), Nigel Gibson (Professor, Marlboro Institute)