The senate of the American University in Cairo (AUC), which consists of representatives of the faculty, staff, students and administration, issued Feb. 5 a vote of no confidence in AUC President Francis J. Ricciardone with 80% of the votes.

Nevertheless, the Board of Trustees whose decisions are binding refused to approve the voting results at its Feb. 11 meeting and with one mind renewed confidence in Ricciardone as the sole decision-maker at AUC until the end of his four-year term that started in October 2016. The board perceived Ricciardone’s decisions and leadership to be “substantial” for the university's success at present and in the future. Based on that, an acute crisis was triggered.

The decision to withdraw confidence from Ricciardone, a former US ambassador to Egypt, stems from AUC hosting Jan. 10 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. One of the university halls was made available to the US Embassy to organize Pompeo’s press conference, without consulting with the various components at AUC, said faculty members in their Feb. 5 statement, which Al-Monitor received a copy of.

The Board of Trustees, which mostly consists of Egyptian and non-Egyptian businessmen, “approves AUC’s mission and vision, budgets, campus plans and policy changes. Board of Trustees members supervise the University’s endowment and serve without compensation. The board also appoints the AUC president.”