Two professors sue Xavier for over $20 million
Fortin, Walker, De Silva and several other high ranking administrators are named in a lawsuit for discrimination against women, retaliation for assertion of rights, defamation and breach of contract.
Patrick Stevenson
Editor-in-Chief
Two faculty members of the communication arts department are suing Xavier University and several high ranking administrators.
Assistant Professor Dr. Miriam Finch and Associate Professor Dr. Tara Michels filed suit in Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas on Nov. 20 and in U.S. District Court on Dec. 3 against Xavier with claims of discrimination against women, retaliation for assertion of rights, defamation and breach of contract.
Dr. Miriam Finch
Assistant professor, former chairwoman of the Communication Arts Department
The following Xavier officials and faculty members are named in the lawsuit: President Michael Graham, S.J., Academic Vice President and Provost Roger Fortin, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Janice Walker, Dean of the Williams College of Business Ali Malekzadeh, Chair of the Communication Arts Department Indra De Silva, Associate Professor William Hagerty and Assistant Professor Thomas Wagner.
Most of the allegations in the suit are leveled at Dr. De Silva, who replaced Dr. Finch as Chair of the Communication Arts Department in 2004.
Also included in the lawsuit are Xavier University, Xavier University Corp. and the Xavier University Board of Trustees.
There is a possibility that more Xavier employees will be named in the lawsuit at a later date.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Finch and Michels are seeking over $20 million in damages.
Dr. Finch and Dr. Michels have declined to comment on why they filed the suit.
Xavier officials said they do not comment on pending litigation.
Judge Steven E. Martin will be presiding over this case on Jan. 7, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. in Hamilton County Court House room 340.
Students voice questions, concerns to administrators at forum
Student leaders are encouraged by reasonable turnout, depth of questions from students
Katie Rosenbaum
Campus News Editor
Erika Breese
Senior Chris Hartman expresses his concerns to Michael Graham, S.J., Roger Fortin, Kathleen Simons, Luther Smith and David Dodd. The student admininistrator discussion forum was attended by about 60 students, faculty and staff.
About sixty students, faculty and staff attended the student-administration forum held on Dec. 3 and sponsored by SGA. Those in attendance could address a question or concern to University President Father Michael Graham , Academic Vice President and Provost Dr. Roger Fortin, Dean of Students Dr. Luther Smith, Associate Provost for Student Life Dr. Kathleen Simons and Vice President and CIO of Information Resources David Dodd.
The topics of questions varied, including questions regarding student clubs and organizations, including the Service Learning semesters, the Xavier TV station and the Ernest Just Society.
Some students asked questions regarding the curriculum, the creation of new majors and minors, and a university-wide mentoring program.
Junior theology major Jordan Meehan raised his concern that Xavier’s core curriculum requires nine credit hours of science, but only one credit hour in diversity studies, and claimed that diversity and understanding people is becoming increasingly important in the world.
Currently there is a group of faculty meeting to decide how to enrich the core, said Fortin. “I expect that by spring term there will be a proposal to increase the hour requirement in the core to enrich diversity.” Administrators also emphasized how they will increase diversity in different types of classes, not just in designated diversity courses.
A question was asked about the use of the “U.S. News and World Report” Rankings.
As Graham explained, the problem with this system is that “it doesn’t really measure how well universities accomplish their core mission of learning,” but rather evaluates endowments, selectivity, etc.
Xavier currently has no plans to opt out, but is not making decisions based on these rankings. Graham said the university is in the preliminary stages of creating a doctoral program in secondary education. This would increase the number of doctoral students and disqualifies Xavier from the category it is currently in.
“Eight to 10 years ago that would have terrified people. But now we don’t worry about walking down that road,” said Graham.
Other students focused on campus expansion and campus parking problems on campus.
SGA said the forum was successful. “The Student Administrative forum was a great way to facilitate and promote dialogue amongst Xavier students and the administrators. I think the administrators were impressed with the variety and depth of the questions asked,” said Legislative Vice President Craig Scanlon.
“Based on the success of this forum, I think there will be conversations and discussion about repeating the event during the spring semester.”
John LaFollette
Editor-in-Chief
Rachel Peters
Ann Tassone
Darren LaCour
Senior News Editors
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