On August 25, staff at the Wexner Center for the Arts at the Ohio State University sent a letter of no confidence in the leadership of executive director Gaëtane Verne to university officials, according to Columbus media outlet Matter News. The institution came under scrutiny this fall following reports that high attrition, financial struggles, and workplace dysfunction under Verne’s leadership had deteriorated staff morale. 

“Over the past three years, it is our opinion that her approach has resulted in high turnover, organizational dysfunction, financial instability, and reputational harm,” reads the letter, as quoted by Matter News. 

Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson told the outlet that the university had “received the letter, takes the allegations seriously, and is reviewing through our established processes.” The letter was reportedly signed by 13 employees at the Wexner Center, which Johnson said has a staff of 70 workers.

The 27 museum employees represented by Wex Workers United were not presented with the letter, as the union has its own protocol for bringing grievances to museum leadership. “However, we s...