Based on that investigation, the NAACP criticized the ADL and Oregon Board of Rabbis for calling on Davis to resign. As FIRE detailed yesterday, Linfield University's senior leadership abruptly terminated Daniel Pollack-Pelzner after he criticized the university's handling of sexual assault and harassment allegations against board members, and alleged that Linfield president Miles K. Davis had made a remark about "Jewish noses." Set aside that President Daviss false denial of his comment on Jewish noses is the only blatantly false statement one can pin down in this case. In an interview on Thursday, Dr. Davis said that while he doesnt recall the comments he made that day, he doesnt use the phrase anymore and added, Im sorry if I said something that offended them at that time.. Learn with FIRE provides learners with the opportunity to take courses on a wide range of topics, including free speech and due process, designed by our expert staff. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Jewish and Arab noses, he explained, are actually around the same size. We strive for an inclusive and welcoming campus for our students and employees.. Elan Ganeles, American killed in West Bank attack, remembered for his wit and friendship, As Orthodox Union and other Jewish groups condemn settler rampage, many avoid mentioning Benjamin Netanyahu, Planned Day of Hate against Jews passes by with packed synagogues and no violence, Red Sox exec Chaim Bloom says hes received antisemitism over teams woes, Jewish comedian Modi Rosenfeld says he still has plenty of Orthodox fans after opening up about being gay, ESPNs Jeff Passan opens up on his Hebrew school upbringing, interviewing Sandy Koufax and Jewish baseball history. A Linfield graduate, who agreed to be identified by her initials A.K., told the newspaper in May that the school failed to intervene as promised after she reported in 2018 that Jubb allegedly groped her and two other students after drinking too much at a bar following a senior achievement dinner on campus in 2017. Across the country, colleges and universities have been wrestling with allegations of sexual misconduct, racial discrimination and anti-Semitism. How to request transcripts Contact us For more information on how to get involved with Linfield, please don't hesitate to reach out. According to the summary of the independent investigation of that report, which was provided to OPB, Davis had approached the faculty member from behind, and rubbed his hands up and down the professors arms while saying he looked forward to a scheduled meeting. His termination, the letter says, threatens to set a precedent that will eviscerate the foundational principles of both free speech and of faculty governance on university campuses., Miles K. Davis, Linfield University's president, denies saying anything antisemitic. It contains 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Other faculty members have since stepped forward to report an even stranger comment. If you face retaliation over protected speech, reach out to FIRE to learn more about how we can protect your rights. 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While we have strong disagreements with much of the media (and social media) speculation, we do not believe further argument in the press are an appropriate avenue for community healing.. reporting from Linfields student newspaper The Linfield Review. Pollack-Pelzner goes on to relate a strange . And the Anti-Defamation Leagues Pacific Northwest office urged Dr. Davis to consider stepping down. While I did not witness any untoward behavior as alleged, I regret that Mr. Jubb was allowed to be in the same setting with a student, Mr. Baca wrote. The Linfield Curriculum The core general-education courses teach critical thinking and communication skills and provide a rich, broad experience. The report finds that Linfield's administration violated the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure and the institution's own regulations, which incorporate AAUP . Several professors have of late used mass emails or publicly criticized the university for what they describe as Linfields poor handling of several sexual misconduct complaints involving members of the Board of Trustees. Further, the Oregon Board of Rabbis also called for the resignation of President Davis without talking with him or conducting an investigation of any kind.. It . You will receive a link to create a new password via email. Perhaps Davis shifted to the remark about the trustee because he conceded to the Chronicle that he had, in fact, made the remark about Jewish noses that Pollack-Pelzner had alleged: A campus investigation last August into the nose comment, along with other matters, called it a he said, he said situation and stated that Davis had denied saying it. Pollack-Pelzner said he hopes Linfield puts its energy toward building a safer and more supportive community for everyone instead of focusing its energy on him. Davis stated that none of the allegations in Pollack-Pelzners tweets are recent and that they were all initially raised nearly a year ago. As described in a federal lawsuit, Linfield board chair David Baca told trustees in June 2019 that veteran trustee David Jubb was resigning "due to health concerns,'' when he actually was facing sexual abuse allegations. Pollack-Pelzner and two other professors accused Davis of making antisemitic comments about Jewish noses and the Holocaust, but Davis denied the allegations. It is exciting to be part of Linfield during this time of evolution and progress, and I look forward to working with faculty, staff, administration and the Linfield community as we design and begin our new strategic planning process, Carmody said in a statement. The metadata of the PDF file reveals that it was generated by an executive assistant to Susan Agre-Kippenhan, the senior Linfield administrator who announced Pollack-Pelzners termination. Condemnation from parents, alumni and a national educational organization followed almost immediately after Linfield University fired tenured English professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner in a rare. Feb . The controversies have played out for months in a federal lawsuit filed by a student, through public statements from faculty members and leaders, student protests, and votes of no confidence. He also insisted that the remark was part of an academic discussion and wasnt meant to be offensive. Students and alumni have condemned the firing, and more than 1,000 professors from the United States, Canada and other countries have signed a letter saying the universitys action could eviscerate the foundational principles of both free speech and of faculty governance on university campuses., They have fired the whistle-blower, said Jamie Friedman, an associate professor of English, who had accused Dr. Davis and another trustee of touching her inappropriately at university events. She was 87. He said Pollack-Pelzners firing was a personnel issue that Im not a party to and I have no opinion one way or the other about it., Pollack-Pelzners firing has led to an outcry among professors worldwide. Until then, the self-inflicted damage to Linfields reputation will continue to flow. If the NAACP would like to talk with me I would be happy to speak, he said, but he noted that the group had not responded to a list of questions he and several other professors had sent them about the investigation. An open letter signed by more than 1,800 professors says that Linfield denied Pollack-Pelzner due process. Linfield University has agreed to pay just over $1 million to settle a whistleblower suit filed by tenured English professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, who accused the university of firing him. It has even pitted the N.A.A.C.P., which has cited racial bias in the accusations against Dr. Davis, against the Anti-Defamation League, which has joined in calls for Dr. Daviss resignation. So to Speak podcast transcript: What is academic freedom? The local ADL representative did not respond to a call for comment on Friday. No competent university leader could credibly believe that tenured faculty are at-will employees. But Davis should resign for firing Pollack-Pelzner, allegedly for cause. In a related case, Linfield faces a whistle-blower lawsuit from a former professor, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, who says he was fired for standing up to the board about sexual misconduct and discrimination. It becomes an echo chamber that I have to spend my time defending, as opposed to looking at the scope of my lifes work, he said. According to the school spokesman, Baca purposefully sat next to Jubb at the bar in 2019 when he learned the student-trustee also had gone there with Jubb and other trustees. Editors Note: This story has been updated to include information about investigations of sexual harassment at Linfield, based on summaries provided to OPB after the story originally published. Allegations of Anti-Semitism at Linfield The university's ongoing sexual misconduct scandal involving trustees is a two-headed monster, now that one faculty trustee says he faced anti-Semitism for pushing for reform. No competent university leader could credibly believe that tenured faculty are at-will employees. In addition, the schools president, Miles K. Davis, told the Chronicle of Higher Education that he had in fact made a comment about the size of Jewish noses to Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, the professor who was fired this week. Sign up to get important news and culture from around the Northwest, delivered to your inbox six days a week. Dr. Davis said that an investigation had reached the same conclusion about the accusations against Mr. Nixon, who could not be reached. Miri Cypers, the groups regional director, said that while the A.D.L. In order to mitigate the harm caused by discrimination, or even the perception of discrimination, it is important that Linfield University thoroughly investigate the allegations raised, Cypers wrote. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 340 undergraduate students. frequently responds to hate and anti-Semitism on college campuses, rarely is that anti-Semitism or hatred perpetrated by a president of a university or other leadership.. Both students and faculty members have repeatedly called on Baca to step down over Linfields handling of sexual misconduct reports by students against David Jubb, a former trustee who is facing a criminal trial. The NAACP report, published Friday and sent to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, says Davis was treated unfairly due to racism at the school. Resources for faculty and staff from our partners at Times Higher Education. On Friday, the local branch of the N.A.A.C.P. WiMSE Partners to Help Invisible Homeless - January 26, 2023. In a letter responding to the ADL, Davis invited the group to meet following the academic year but rebuffed the call to resign. Linfields administration does not get to pick and choose between the policies it has and the policies it wishes it had. Its retaliatory in the extreme.. Colleen Flaherty April 19, 2021 (Daniel Pollack-Pelzner/Twitter) [11] The justifications offered by Linfields leadership to the Chronicle are incoherent. Some have called for the universitys president to resign. All Ive been trying to do for the last two years is to get Linfield leadership to follow its own policies. The State College of Florida Bradenton requested a traveling art exhibition to remove pieces with the words diversity, inclusion, justice, and equality. Linfield President Davis said in a statement that Carmody has the experience and enthusiasm to lead Linfield through this period of transformation and growth., He continued: He will bring fresh ideas and perspectives and shares our commitment to re-envisioning learning, challenging students to explore greater possibilities and building a welcoming and supportive community.. The Oregonian/OregonLive generally doesnt identify alleged victims of sexual abuse but Motis said she wanted to be named after filing a lawsuit against the school. Students as well as fellow academics are also protesting the decision by Linfield University, a Baptist-affiliated school with some 2,000 students, to fire Daniel Pollack-Pelzner. If a person walks up and punches a student in the face, youre telling me I need to go convene a group of people before I take any action against them?. And as for whether this handbook had been approved by Linfields administration? Reginald Richardson, the president of the local NAACP chapter, told JTA that he trusted the independent investigation of the antisemitism claims, and that Pollack-Pelzners firing was outside the scope of the NAACP report. FIRE files an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold the First Amendment rights of a dog-toy maker to parody a famous whiskey brand and to adopt a test that protects free expression against overzealous trademark owners, including colleges and universities. The local chapter of the ADL sent a letter Wednesday calling on Davis to resign to allow the community to heal. The Oregon Board of Rabbis had previously called on Davis to step down. Pollack-Pelzner said he believed the antisemitism was partly in response to his asking the school to do more to address allegations of sexual assault. He said that he had reported that four trustees had been accused of sexual misconduct by students and faculty over the past year and suggested that there be sexual harassment training and guidelines. Faculty members within Linfield's College of Arts and Sciences Monday passed a resolution signifying no confidence in the university president and board chair, calling for their resignations. One of those reports included former board member David Jubb, who was indicted last year on eight counts seven counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of first-degree sexual abuse. The Zestimate for this Townhouse is $559,300, which has decreased by $54,929 in the last 30 days.The Rent Zestimate for this Townhouse is $3,499/mo, which has decreased by $247/mo in the last 30 days. Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan are reviving it. But the committee disclosed that a faculty member in February accused one trustee of inappropriate touching of the shoulder and another trustee of inappropriate touching of the leg. The committee didnt name the trustees and said an outside investigator is looking into the complaint. Richard Belzer was a Jewish comedian. That failure led to sexual abuse allegations against trustee David Jubb stemming from a 2019 encounter between Jubb and a student-trustee at a bar after a faculty-trustee dinner. The professor said he tried notifying his bosses about sexual harassment. Davis told the Chronicle of Higher Education that the schools faculty handbook had not been updated and said a number of things in that handbook that are not valid. He added that Our legal representation feels very comfortable with the basis for his termination.. Its overwhelming, its destabilizing its an attack on the values of higher education that I have worked so hard with colleagues to uphold, he said. I dont know how anybody could feel safe in this environment., Linfield University Fires Professor Who Spoke Out About Misconduct Cases, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/01/us/Linfield-university-professor-fired.html. Instead, he said, it was the result of Pollack-Pelzners having made a number of statements that were blatantly false. The example he cited is the professors stating, in a recent email to Linfield faculty members, that Jubb, the former trustee, faced eight felony counts. 510 Walnut St. | Suite 1250 Linfields faculty handbook requires a lengthy process, including two formal hearings, before a professor with tenure can be fired procedures that have not been followed in this case. The firing, previously reported by The Oregonian, has added to the extraordinary turmoil at Linfield, which was founded in 1858 as a Baptist college and offers liberal arts, business and nursing programs. 21,741 followers. If Davis believes that Linfield can prove that Pollack-Pelzner violated university policy, he should submit that question to an unbiased faculty committee, as due process requires. The Office of Alumni Engagement Melrose Hall 503-883-2547 alumni@linfield.edu Meet our team David Baca, the embattled chair of Linfield Universitys board of trustees, said he offered to resign after a faculty vote of no confidence in late May over his handling of sexual abuse allegations against another trustee, but other trustees convinced him to stay on. Pollack-Pelzner whose case has become a cause celebre among American academics did not agree to speak with the NAACP for its investigation, and the report does not substantively address his termination or his allegations, relying instead on the independent investigation that could not substantiate them. Why didnt his obituaries say so? 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Linfield Universitys actions are a crystal-clear violation of its own policy on firing a tenured professor for cause. The dismissal of a tenured faculty member for cause, the handbook says, must relate to the fitness of faculty members in their professional capacities as teachers or researchers, not to their generation of bad publicity for the college. The two statements are the latest developments in a controversy that has roiled the McMinnville campus for months. This coded language plays off racist and toxic stereotypes with a long history in this country.. Dr. Pollack-Pelzner, Dr. Linder, Dr. Tompkins, Dr. Friedman and two other professors who had received requests to speak to the group responded in an email that investigating employees who have reported harassment and retaliation, no matter how well-intentioned the investigation is itself an act of retaliation., As the controversy has dragged on, Mr. Baca, the board chairman, has tried to reassure students and others on campus who have protested the handling of the sexual misconduct accusations, writing in a letter to the Linfield community last July, I believe that you are safe, that there is justice and that the trustees are protecting you.. So which is it? Carmody has been on the board since 2008. If your rights are in jeopardy, get in touch with us: thefire.org/alarm. Obviously, a university need not convene a unanimous jury before stopping ongoing physical violence. That lawsuit is still pending. Linfield - Nursing alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $47,300. 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