A vote on Monday by 78 percent of the faculty indicating “no confidence” in Missouri Southern State University President Bruce Speck’s leadership by a margin of better than 3-to-1 warrants serious and immediate consideration by the MSSU Board of Governors.

Board President Rod Anderson said that the board will “duly evaluate at the appropriate time.”

That time should be in the immediate future.

Speck and the members representing the faculty have acknowledged that both parties probably bear at least some culpability for the turn of events at the university. The board has failed in terms of providing prudent and considered evaluation of Speck’s leadership characteristics and experience versus the true needs of the university.

It is this failure that is primarily and directly responsible for the turmoil that has developed.

The university president has said he has been acting at the board’s behest. Only one member of the board, Dwight Douglas, its past president, has been openly vocal in his support of Speck. What about the other members? Is it true that Speck’s actions have been dictated by the board? If so, then the disconnect lies with the board.

If the board, in the coming days, should decide to buy out Speck’s contract, it will cost the taxpayers nearly $350,000. Clearly, there are no easy answers.

The essence of responsibility is the willingness and integrity to face up to the consequences of your actions and position yourself to move forward constructively from there.

We expect nothing less than the acceptance of responsibility from the MSSU Board of Governors.