Spring Break
Prof Hindley's case still under appeal
by Noah Bein and Claire Moses
News | 11/13/07
Posted online at 9:15 PM EST on 11/12/07
/ Last updated at 1:19 PM EST on 11/12/07
Responding to faculty concerns, administrators this week defended the investigation of complaints against Prof. Donald Hindley (POL) for alleged racially discriminatory remarks made during a class earlier this semester.
Hindley, a tenured professor in his 47th year at the University, received word on Oct. 30 from Provost Marty Krauss that he had violated the University's nondiscrimination policy for comments he made in POL144a, a Latin American politics course. Krauss assigned Assistant Provost Richard Silberman to monitor Hindley's classes and ordered Hindley to attend anti-discrimination training as sanctions.
Hindley, who said he would "absolutely not" complete the anti-discrimination training Krauss has required of him, has appealed his case to the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities, a group of faculty charged under Section VII A of the Faculty Handbook with judging the fairness of penalties imposed on professors.
"I utterly reject the verdict and the process by which the process was reached," Hindley said.
Krauss wrote in an Oct. 30 letter to Hindley that failure to adhere to either of the sanctions against him would result in "termination." Section VII C of the Faculty Handbook requires the provost to consult the Faculty Senate when she is considering dismissal of a faculty member.
At a faculty meeting Thursday, several professors spoke out against the University's investigation, noting that no students other than the complainants had been questioned about the incidents. The Faculty Senate also issued a statement, read by senate chair Prof. Marc Brettler (NEJS), criticizing the administration's response to the complaints. The statement asserted that Krauss may have violated the Faculty Handbook because she didn't consult the Faculty Senate prior to notifying Hindley that he could be fired for noncompliance with the sanctions against him.
"We expect to discuss with the administration issues of mutual concern, including the set of policies governing discrimination and harassment," the statement said.
Hindley, a tenured professor in his 47th year at the University, received word on Oct. 30 from Provost Marty Krauss that he had violated the University's nondiscrimination policy for comments he made in POL144a, a Latin American politics course. Krauss assigned Assistant Provost Richard Silberman to monitor Hindley's classes and ordered Hindley to attend anti-discrimination training as sanctions.
Hindley, who said he would "absolutely not" complete the anti-discrimination training Krauss has required of him, has appealed his case to the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities, a group of faculty charged under Section VII A of the Faculty Handbook with judging the fairness of penalties imposed on professors.
"I utterly reject the verdict and the process by which the process was reached," Hindley said.
Krauss wrote in an Oct. 30 letter to Hindley that failure to adhere to either of the sanctions against him would result in "termination." Section VII C of the Faculty Handbook requires the provost to consult the Faculty Senate when she is considering dismissal of a faculty member.
At a faculty meeting Thursday, several professors spoke out against the University's investigation, noting that no students other than the complainants had been questioned about the incidents. The Faculty Senate also issued a statement, read by senate chair Prof. Marc Brettler (NEJS), criticizing the administration's response to the complaints. The statement asserted that Krauss may have violated the Faculty Handbook because she didn't consult the Faculty Senate prior to notifying Hindley that he could be fired for noncompliance with the sanctions against him.
"We expect to discuss with the administration issues of mutual concern, including the set of policies governing discrimination and harassment," the statement said.
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