Employees at Gadsden State Community College will hold a confidence vote on school President Raymond Staats Wednesday.

According to a story on the news site al.com, Voting by secret ballot will take place on each of the college’s campuses, including the one in Cherokee County.

Results are expected to be announced later that day, and counting will be public.

The vote came about after a group of employees approached the Alabama Education Association asking for help in conducting a poll. AEA representatives say this is not an initiative of the association, but AEA state staff will be there to oversee voting.

An email sent to college employees Monday stated that the poll is purely advisory in nature and there should be no reprisals for those participating. It goes on to say that any act of retaliation should be reported to AEA for immediate action.

George Terrell, president of the Gadsden State Education Association, said to his knowledge, this kind of vote has only taken place once before since the state’s junior/community college system was founded in 1965.

The school released a statement Tuesday, saying it “embraces the philosophy of transparent and open leadership and Dr. Staats looks forward to this latest feedback and will actively work to resolve any concerns identified.

Staats has been the college’s president since June 2011.

(al.com)