Cleveland Institute of Music Faculty Votes No Confidence in its Top Administrators

Cleveland’s faculty have voted no confidence in the school’s president Paul Hogle and provost Scott Harrison by a majority 90%

Currently facing a lawsuit after months since launching a Title IX investigation into one of its staff, the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) is now confronted with 90% of its faculty voting no confidence against the school’s president and CEO Paul Hogle and provost Scott Harrison.

In May 2023, CIM initiated a Title IX inquiry into Carlos Kalmar, after accusations of his “inappropriate behavior.” Kalmar was appointed CIM’s principal conductor and director of orchestral studies in 2021.

In September 2023, Kalmar entered a leave of absence following a sit-in staged by CIM students, who also distributed a petition calling for his resignation in protest of his Title IX case being dismissed the month prior.  

Just last month, he sued CIM for more than $25 million in damages in a federal suit listing him and his wife as plaintiffs. The defendants of the case are CIM, Hogle, Harrison, the former Title IX coordinator Vivian Scott, and CIM’s dean and vice president for academic and student affairs Dean Southern.

Additionally, CIM’s head of the trumpet department, Michael Sachs, resigned of his own accord after a 35-year tenure, following allegations from the administration over statements Sachs claims he never made.

Sachs’ resignation came a day after CIM board chair Susan Rothmann’s letter to faculty and students stating that “a public campaign designed to damage CIM is being waged by a small group of people who oppose the evolution of the institute,” and included a “CIM Fact-Check” link listing misconceptions about its senior leadership. 

In November 2023, CIM’s students garnered 200 signatories for a petition calling for the resignation of Hogle and Rothmann, stating that they neglected to be transparent and honest and that they “have diminished the prestige and reputation of the institution.”

In July 2023, as part of a“restructuring decision,” CIM laid off 15% of its administrative staff — a decision in which the student body claimed they were not informed until the Fact-Check link was released on October 5, 2023.

In September 2023, the school received a $3.5 million scholarship endowment, and according to a December 2023 press release by CIM, applications to the school increased, while Rothmann, Hogle, and Harrison were unanimously reelected to their positions. 

The CIM administration has not responded to The Violin Channel's request for comment. However, as similarly reported by cleveland.com and music critic Greg Sandow, the CIM faculty sent The Violin Channel the following information:

"Regarding Paul Hogle, the vote was 83 to 8 (91% in favor of the resolution of No Confidence)"

"Regarding Scott Harrison, the vote was 81 to 10 (89% in favor of the resolution of No Confidence)"

The faculty’s critiques on Hogle are listed as: 

• "WHEREAS CIM faces its most dangerous financial situation in decades, is running its first budget deficit in decades, and faces the difficulty of recruiting students with an uncompetitive discount rate for the foreseeable future;
• WHEREAS President Paul Hogle has overseen a debilitating turnover of over 120 members of the staff, including eighteen in Development (including seven Chief Development Officers), eleven in Concerts and Events, ten in the Deans Office, nine in Marketing, and eight in Admissions, as well as unprecedented levels of resignations, causing substantial problems with continuity, institutional knowledge, and competency;
• WHEREAS President Hogle appointed Scott Harrison to the position of Provost, who lacks any of the traditional qualifications, credentials, and experience required for the role of Provost to the position, leading to serious mismanagement of the Institute's academic and artistic affairs, as well as repeated actions in violation of traditional academic standards and norms, as well as CIM and HLC policies;
• WHEREAS President Hogle disregarded and/or ignored repeated complaints by students, staff, and faculty about the orchestra situation at CIM during the 2022-23 season, including ignoring the recommendations of the Orchestra 2.0 Task Force, as well as a fall 2022 survey of CIM orchestral musicians which was damning in its result;
• WHEREAS President Hogle's leadership style is ill-suited to an academic environment which relies on consensus-building and compromise in decision-making; 
• WHEREAS President Hogle accepted a raise of $111,282 (26.3%) between the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years while simultaneously guiding CIM into its first deficit in 30 years and advising faculty that merit-based or cost-of-living raises would not be expected for several years;
• WHEREAS morale among faculty and staff is at a level detrimental to the functioning of the institution and advancement of its mission;
• WHEREAS the once-great reputation of CIM has been severely diminished at a national and international level;
• WHEREAS the aforementioned misdeeds have significantly jeopardized CIM's ability to pass its 2025 comprehensive HLC accreditation site visit;
• WHEREAS CIM is hungry for new, positive leadership which looks to the future and understands the educational challenges — and opportunities — facing the Institute and the young musician of the 21st century in a rapidly changing landscape. CIM needs leadership which will restore morale, inspire the faculty and staff, and renew trust in the Office of the President. CIM needs a leader with the temperament, education, academic experience, and shared values to lead us into our next century;
• Therefore, we the Faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music are expressing a vote of NO CONFIDENCE in Paul Hogle."

The faculty’s critiques on Harrison are listed as: 

• "WHEREAS Scott Harrison was appointed Provost by the President despite lacking the traditional credentials (an earned doctorate degree and extensive academic administrative experience, often as a dean or senior faculty member intimately familiar with the norms and standards of academia and the concept and role of shared governance) required for the role of provost at an institution of higher education;
• WHEREAS Provost Harrison has zero prior experience in academic administration and has never served on a university faculty senate, academic committee, or other governing body and has never managed an academic department or college;
• WHEREAS his lack of credentials and relevant experience have led Provost Harrison to repeatedly violate norms of shared governance, disregard faculty consultation, and make decisions detrimental to the Institute, including:

-- Overseeing alarming faculty/staff turnover due to toxic working conditions, stagnant salaries, and one-year contracts

-- Showing a lack of fundamental understanding of basic management of academic areas and ensembles, leading to serious logistical and artistic issues that negatively impact the quality of offerings and well-being of students

-- Attempting to unilaterally restructure the faculty in disregard for the role of shared governance and commonly accepted established academic norms and procedures

-- Creation and modification of academic programs without the approval of faculty or the Curriculum Committee, as outlined in institution policy

-- Refusing transparency in appointing a new Title IX investigator, causing confusion and distrust

-- Replacing a unanimously supported department head without proper faculty consultation and against clearly defined policy, as outlined in the Faculty Handbook

-- Refusing to follow standards of academic pay and benefits to candidates to join the faculty, resulting in loss of competitive talent to peer institutions

• WHEREAS Provost Harrison's lack of qualifications and actions have compromised CIM's accreditation standards with the Higher Learning Commission;
• WHEREAS the faculty have lost all confidence and trust in Provost Harrison's ability to fulfill the duties of the position;
• Therefore, we the Faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music are expressing a vote of NO CONFIDENCE in Scott Harrison."

“Massive respect for the students and faculty in a truly terrible battle against ineptitude, greed, and misogyny on the part of the administration and board,” violinist Lara St. John posted on Facebook. “Thanks to Greg Sandow for a succinct summary of the past years and for posting the faculty statement … it’s unbelievable. Just when I think musical institutions of higher learning can’t get any worse, they do.”