The Justice

In an interview, Krauss declined to elaborate on the specific nature of Hindley's comments, citing a need to protect the complaintants. "I know some are upset about this, but there should be some confidence that a detailed process was followed that allows people to come forward with complaints against their supervisors and/or faculty," she said.

Hindley defended the right of a student to object to the content of his lectures, but said the source of the complaint had been "used by vengeful people." He attributed the vigor of the University's reprimands in part to his outspoken comments on a number of issues, including a dispute over his salary and his opposition to some Israeli tactics in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I object loudly to what I see to be arbitrary and unjust authority and that includes within the department and within the administration," he said.

Although Prof. Steven Burg (POL), chairman of the Politics department, received the complaints first, Hindley said, the issue was referred to Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe and later Krauss, without an attempt to mediate the solution. Section 7a of the Faculty Handbook requires department chairs to "resolve issues concerning faculty rights or responsibilities … through direct discussions with the faculty member involved and/or through mediation."

The University's Non-Discrimination and Harassment Policy recommends that problems be resolved "informally" and states that the Human Resources and Employee Relations Department can "assist in this process."

Hindley said he was first alerted to the complaints Oct. 22 after receiving an e-mail from Jesse Simone, director of employment, employee relations and training, requesting a meeting that day. Over the course of the nearly two-hour meeting, Simone and Hindley discussed the allegations in the presence of another man, who took notes but did not speak.

"She said, 'Did you use the word wetback?' Well, I teach Latin American politics and I'm currently teaching Mexican politics, and of course I use the word wetbacks, [but] not in any derogatory sense," Hindley said, adding, "I thought it was just ridiculous charges, totally resolved, and they were being just silly about it."

Hindley said Simone also asked if he had referred to "young, white males having contact with women of color," which he said he had.

Hindley said he didn't hear more about the charges until receiving a phone call on the evening of Oct. 29 from Krauss, who told him that he would receive two letters in his mailbox the next day. He read the letters from Simone and Krauss informing him of their decisions before his morning class, and entered to find Silberman present as a monitor.

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