Dr. Drew Engles, president of the Akron Artwork Museum board of administrators, says he is not resigning and instead will get the job done to strengthen the board and establishment in places of inclusion and range.
“Several have requested for my resignation and consider me I have considered long and hard about undertaking so. Even so, I much too am invested in this procedure of improvement. I also want to be portion of the answer and I treatment too deeply about the institution and its job in our group,” Engles instructed museum customers in a letter the museum issued to media.
The museum and its previous government director, Mark Masuoka, have been at the heart of a controversy this 12 months pursuing an April 30 ArtNews report that disclosed allegations by former workers of racism, sexism and bullying.
Considering the fact that then, Masuoka has resigned, and quite a few workers who labored all through his tenure have filed lawsuits against him and the museum proclaiming the employer produced a hostile and discriminatory do the job environment.
Protesters have also referred to as for the museum to change its board and president.
Engles wrote that he does not system to go away and rather outlined a number of actions the museum is taking to increase.
“I have figured out that we can’t continue to work in the similar way as we have. It is time for me and for us to be much better,” Engles mentioned in the letter.
He promised to “transform the Board these kinds of that the overall human body, not just the Government Committee, is tasked with management,” which he mentioned “will raise the inclusiveness of the complete board.”
“The Board will come to be additional proactive. The Board will work hard to assistance the breaking down of the organizational silos that previously existed. The Board will turn into much more engaged, more knowledgeable, and undoubtedly additional tied to the issues and issues that lots of art museums face now,” Engles additional.
In addition, the museum has “proven formal relationships with both equally the United Way of Akron and Janus Small & Associates to supply consultative companies in the parts of range, equity, accessibility and inclusion, board framework, board composition, board director instruction, review of our human resource guidelines, and personnel engagement,” the letter states.
Irrespective of whether the moves by Engles and his board will satisfy the lots of folks unhappy with the museum stays to be noticed. Quite a few of all those complaining have been demanding fast action, but Engles indicated modify could choose time.
“It is anticipated that this perform will consider 12-24 months with the results getting forever threaded into each individual element of the establishment,” Engles wrote.
He thanked all those who have supported the museum and apologized to staff members for the outcome the latest controversy has had.
“And lastly and most importantly, I want to increase an apology to our staff and docents who have weathered this storm. Their dedication and commitment to the institution and to their occupation is nothing at all small of outstanding,” the letter states.