Spring Break
FIRE publishes report on Hindley
by Noah Bein
Associate Editor
News | 1/29/08
Posted online at 12:13 AM EST on 1/29/08
After an investigation by the Office of Human Resources into the complaints against Hindley found he violated the University's Non Discrimination and Harassment policy, Krauss assigned a monitor last October to observe his classes and ordered him to attend non-discrimination training. The Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities supported Hindley in a Nov. 29 ruling on his appeal, but Krauss rejected the decision last month, arguing the CFRR lacked the authority to issue a binding opinion.
Hindley said he received a letter from Krauss on Jan. 7 declaring the matter closed.
Krauss declined to comment on Hindley's case but said in an interview last week that Brandeis has an established process for dealing with complaints.
"We do our very best to conduct high quality investigations, come to informed conclusions and then deal with the consequences, and that is exactly what I would hope students, faculty and staff would expect of us," Krauss said.
But Krauss and the faculty appear to have reached an impasse over differing interpretations of procedural rules. On Nov. 8, the Faculty Senate adopted a resolution accusing the provost of violating the Faculty Handbook when she threatened Hindley with termination without consulting the Faculty Senate. The CFRR expressed similar concerns in a Dec. 19 statement, claiming that the provost "in cases of this sort, essentially becomes the final judge of her own actions."
Several critics of the University's actions connected the dispute with other recent controversies at Brandeis, including the removal in Spring 2006 of an exhibition of art by Palestinian children and the rancor that surrounded former President Jimmy Carter's visit to campus last spring.
In an interview this week, Hindley said he contacted FIRE after learning the University hired a Boston law firm to advise on his case. Hindley said he has hired the law firm Good and Cormier, of which Silverglate was formerly a partner. Silvergate is not working as a lawyer on the case, Hindley said.
Hindley said he received a letter from Krauss on Jan. 7 declaring the matter closed.
Krauss declined to comment on Hindley's case but said in an interview last week that Brandeis has an established process for dealing with complaints.
"We do our very best to conduct high quality investigations, come to informed conclusions and then deal with the consequences, and that is exactly what I would hope students, faculty and staff would expect of us," Krauss said.
But Krauss and the faculty appear to have reached an impasse over differing interpretations of procedural rules. On Nov. 8, the Faculty Senate adopted a resolution accusing the provost of violating the Faculty Handbook when she threatened Hindley with termination without consulting the Faculty Senate. The CFRR expressed similar concerns in a Dec. 19 statement, claiming that the provost "in cases of this sort, essentially becomes the final judge of her own actions."
Several critics of the University's actions connected the dispute with other recent controversies at Brandeis, including the removal in Spring 2006 of an exhibition of art by Palestinian children and the rancor that surrounded former President Jimmy Carter's visit to campus last spring.
In an interview this week, Hindley said he contacted FIRE after learning the University hired a Boston law firm to advise on his case. Hindley said he has hired the law firm Good and Cormier, of which Silverglate was formerly a partner. Silvergate is not working as a lawyer on the case, Hindley said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
David Zukerman '62
posted 2/01/08 @ 12:40 AM EST
Now this alum is wondering if the January 7 declaration that the Hindley matter is now closed was influenced by the last line of UNLV President Carol Harter's letter ending the Prof. (Continued…)
David Zukerman '62
posted 2/01/08 @ 12:48 AM EST
The complete date of the Harter letter is February 18, 2005. (My apologies.)
Post a Comment