The metropolitan clubs, excluding Kaikorai, had written to ORFU chairman Ron Palenski to express their frustration over the lack of communication between the board and lower levels of rugby administration within Otago.
University chairman Kelvin Fisher contacted the Otago Daily Times yesterday and said though he had no personal issues with Palenski, he believed the chairman had not been challenged recently for his position.
"Ron Palenski should be on notice that it is the desire of the University club to have a different chairman this year," Fisher said.
He did not indicate who the club wanted as a new chairman.
Under the union's constitution, the clubs will not have the power to pick the chairman. The chairman is picked by the board, at its first meeting, after the annual general meeting.
Palenski confirmed this, and said if the board wished him to carry on he would. If it did not, he would stand down.
He has been chairman since 2003, and is not up for re-election as a board member at the annual meeting on February 23.
Clubs had previously discussed candidates for the board at meetings over the last couple of months, and it was believed former Otago coach Wayne Graham and Dunedin club stalwart Paul Dwyer were the duo favoured by the clubs.
But University, Pirates and other clubs are not falling in behind the clubs' candidates.
Fisher said at the last meeting all clubs were asked to rank three candidates: Dwyer, Graham and ORFU deputy chairman Adrian Read, who is associated with the Alhambra-Union club.
But Fisher said University and several other voting blocs would not participate in the ranking process. It is believed about half the clubs have returned a ranking.
"We also made it quite clear that we would let democracy take its turn at the annual general meeting of the Otago union," Fisher said.
"Based on this, it is not at all guaranteed that the top ranked people people will be elected."
Fisher confirmed the University club would be backing independent board member John Walker as its candidate for the board.
Club delegates Read, who is also the board's deputy chairman, and Duncan Simpson, retire by rotation from the board, and Simpson is not seeking re-election.
Along with Walker, independent board member Steve Thompson is retiring by rotation. Thompson said yesterday he had not made his mind about standing again.
Independent board members are not elected at the annual meeting, but have to be nominated by a club, and then go through an interview process.
Pirates chairman Chris Rowe said the club wanted the election of board members to go through the democratic process, and he did not agree with the ranking process.
He did not wish to comment on whether it was time for Palenski to move aside, but he had concerns over the ORFU's review of rugby and the performance of the academy.
Kaikorai chairman Ron St Clair-Newman said the club was happy with the current processes and the way to nominate people for the board, and did not support the other clubs' letter and backing for other candidates.
