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. Feb . In a conversation about the importance of leveling with people, they claim, Davis said something like, You dont giveJews soapwhen you send them to theshowers. Perhaps the Oregon Board of Rabbis went too far in calling for Daviss resignation over comments that seem less anti-Jewish than from outer space. Theres a reaction to change, he said. In interviews this week, Dr. Davis and the board chairman, David Baca, denied any wrongdoing. Some have called for the universitys president to resign. 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.. Pollack-Pelzner goes on to relate a strange comment President Davis made, presumably to indicate Daviss opposition to anti-Semitism. Zestimate Home Value: $439,900. In an effort to squelch criticism, the colleges administrators caught the attention of major defenders of academic freedom, as well as the Anti-Defamation League. The two statements are the latest developments in a controversy that has roiled the McMinnville campus for months. Dr. Bull served in numerous capacities and was a leader in opening new career paths for women in the corporate and educational fields. Carmody has been on the board since 2008. Jackson B. Miller, a communication arts professor, criticized both statements,. How Oregon researchers are testing 3D printing to reconstruct bone. 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. Philadelphia, PA 19106. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which aims to defend student and faculty freedom of speech on campus, sent a letter to Davis on Thursday night demanding that he reverse Pollack-Pelzners termination, condemning what it called reckless conduct., The Shakespeare Association of America also backed Pollack-Pelzner, who teaches about Shakespeare, writing,Whistleblowers should not be punished and anti-semitism and other forms of racism should be condemned., A 2018 photo of the Linfield University campus in McMinnville, Ore. (George Rose/Getty Images). No competent university leader could credibly believe that tenured faculty are at-will employees. But, for Davis, the minutiae of process are important for others: So what did Pollack-Pelzner do to merit his dismissal? Baca has been on the board for13 years. Why didnt his obituaries say so? 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. In fact, there is one felony charge against Jubb, along with seven counts of third-degree sexual abuse, which is a misdemeanor in Oregon. The Oregon Board of Rabbis called on Dr. Davis and Mr. Baca to resign. Davis has denied the allegations, and the university has supported him, even in the face of a vote by the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences calling on him to resign. The handbook needs to be revised or it was never approved? Lost your password? The boards vice-chair, Kerry Carmody, will become interim chair on Oct. 1. It said that he had been called divisive, intimidating, combative, aggressive, disrespectful and abusive, which the report called coded racist language. 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. No. Kerry Carmody, the board's vice chair, was named . 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 . But rarely have the three collided at the highest levels of leadership, as they have at Linfield University, a small, historically Baptist college in Oregons wine country, which celebrated the appointment of its first Black president in 2018. But my fellow trustees, who are very familiar with the events, have urged me to remain as Chairman. In its letter Thursday, Anti-Defamation League Pacific Northwest Regional Director Miri Cypers wrote that the ADL is not representing Pollack-Pelzner as his attorney nor is it in a position to verify his allegations, but that it is troubled by his descriptions of the incidents. Linfield University President Miles K. Davis on Friday rebuffed calls to resign and defended this week's abrupt firing of an English professor who criticized him. It could hardly be clearer. Earlier this week, Linfield University fired a tenured professor who had spoken out about allegations of sexual misconduct, as well as antisemitism, against university leaders. But that order was not strictly enforced, and Mr. Jubb was accused of sexual misconduct again in 2019, at an event Mr. Baca attended, he said. Welcome to Linfield University Discover a community where acceptance is an unbreakable promise and being uncommon is the norm. 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"After 13 years on the Board and four years as chair, Dave decided it was in Linfield's best interest that he step down and allow new leaders to come to the forefront," Scott Nelson, university spokesman, told The Oregonian. Multiple organizations, including the Oregon Board of Rabbis, called for both Baca and university president Miles Davis to resign. The snitcheror whistleblowerin this case is Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, who was until recently a tenured Shakespeare scholar and a voting faculty member on Linfields Board of Trustees. The university respects that individuals are free to express their opinions on social media, but that doesnt make them accurate, Nelson said. Mr. Jubb has pleaded not guilty and his case is scheduled for trial in November, his lawyer said. 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.. 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. former faculty member Daniel Pollack-Pelzner brought to light allegations. Dismissal for cause must not be used to restrain faculty members in their exercise of academic freedom or other rights of [an] American citizen. Dismissal for cause must be preceded by, among other things, a statement of charges and a hearing. During the hearing process, the faculty member may not be suspended, much less fired, unless immediate harm to the faculty member or others is threatened by continuance.. 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. Police, security agencies advise Jews to be on alert ahead of planned National Day of Hate on Shabbat, American citizen killed in latest West Bank shooting amid escalating violence, This Orthodox Jewish model made history at New York Fashion Week. Dr. Davis said that an investigation had reached the same conclusion about the accusations against Mr. Nixon, who could not be reached. Linfield President Miles Davis said in a responding letter that the professors tweets were part of a smear campaign against university administration. She singled out Baca for criticism, saying the schools general counsel told her that Baca gave his word that David Jubb would never have contact with students again or be allowed at events that served alcohol.. ( JTA) In the latest developments in an ongoing controversy at Linfield University over the firing of a tenured Jewish professor who accused the school of antisemitism, a report from the. Linfield by-laws require a lengthy process including multiple hearings, which did not happen in Pollack-Pelzners case. Linfield fires prof who raised sexual harassment, antisemitism allegations By Rob Manning (OPB) April 27, 2021 6:58 p.m. In response, he said, Mr. Baca, the board chairman, accused me a Jewish trustee of harboring a secret agenda to grab power.. One faculty trustee also accused board members of anti-Semitism, and the arts and sciences faculty voted overwhelmingly that it has no confidence in President Miles Davis or David Baca, board chair. Dave decided it was in Linfields best interest that he step down and allow new leaders to come to the forefront, Linfield spokesperson Scott Nelson said in a statement. Linfield served as Dean of Women from 1921 to 1928, and sat on the Board of Directors from 1922 to her death in 1940. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. It . Daviss answer is wildly implausible on its face and incomprehensibly at odds with the basic conception of tenure. Most important, you should know that Professor Pollack-Pelzner has been engaged in a smear campaign toward me and the administration at Linfield University, Davis wrote. Faculty supported the motion 88 to 18. A petition protesting the firing has now been signed by hundreds of other faculty members across the country and around the world. Agre-Kippenhan, Linfields Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, does Davis no favors in playing second fiddle. I think its incredulous that so many hurtful and disturbing and inappropriate comments have been made, Miri Cypers, the ADLs Pacific Northwest regional director, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 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. About a month after his widely shared Twitter thread, Pollack-Pelzner was let go so abruptly that he learned of it only when he was locked out of Linfields email system. Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212. College faculty overwhelmingly passed a vote of no confidence in Baca on May 26, finding he failed to protect students after receiving a complaint in 2018 from a graduate who accused Jubb of sexually abusing her and two of her friends the prior year. You will complete approximately one-third of your courses in the core. Colleen Flaherty April 19, 2021 (Daniel Pollack-Pelzner/Twitter) But no such corollary exists for faculty and students should not be subject to such a bizarre policy. 2022 Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Durch Klicken auf Alle akzeptieren erklren Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Yahoo und unsere Partner Ihre personenbezogenen Daten verarbeiten und Technologien wie Cookies nutzen, um personalisierte Anzeigen und Inhalte zu zeigen, zur Messung von Anzeigen und Inhalten, um mehr ber die Zielgruppe zu erfahren sowie fr die Entwicklung von Produkten. Nelson said outside law firms, internal investigators and the universitys human resources office investigated and found no evidence to support the claims of antisemitic comments Pollack-Pelzner laid out in his posts. But then theres also, maybe, a reaction to who is bringing the change., Dr. Davis said he was particularly stung by the claims of anti-Semitism, calling it the thing that bothers me the most. Last year, he denied making the remark about Jewish noses, and an investigator hired by the university called it a he said, he said situation that could not be substantiated. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). 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. The Pacific Northwest chapter of the Anti-Defamation League wrote a letter to Linfield Universitys Board of Trustees on Thursday expressing disappointment and concern over claims of antisemitism chronicled in a professors social media posts. Review Beyond the Classroom Academic Opportunities Learning at Linfield spans well beyond the traditional classroom setting. There is a jury trial scheduled for that case in November. Friedman.. Davis invited the NAACP to investigate whether he was subject to racist treatment after he was accused both of antisemitism as well as sexual assault. The small private university has weathered controversy recently, with the high-profile departure of a faculty member who drew attention to accusations of sexual harassment by school leaders. Academic freedom and freedom of inquiry are values to which Linfield University subscribes., But Linfields despotic administration has effectively renounced this statement in favor of a pithier one: Snitches get stitches.. Do these folks really think theyre going to win a social media war against Generation Z?, Trey PetersonWood, a recent Linfield graduate, said Monday that the more Linfield attempts to censor and silence advocates for accountability, the more damage they are causing to this great institution that has the potential to be a leader in the age of what oppressors call cancel culture, but in reality, its the age of accountability.. The justifications offered by Linfields leadership to the Chronicle are incoherent. Portland Campus 2900 NE 132nd Ave Portland, Oregon 97230 971-369-4100. eCampus Online and Continuing Education (OCE) Online degrees and certificates 503-883-2200 Link to home page . Baca said he met at length with Motis when she raised her complaint in 2019 and he banned Jubb from attending the next board meeting while he began a process to remove him as trustee. 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 only major offered is Nursing. The refusal to take this action, and the defiant tone within these messages about the possibility of even considering such a step, perpetuates an image of Linfield as an organization that is not adequately addressing sexual misconduct allegations, Miller wrote. Pioneer Hall is seen through the signature oak trees at Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. I havent seen any indication that people in positions of power at Linfield want to hold themselves accountable., Other organizations have also come out in Pollack-Pelzners defense. 21,741 followers. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. Linfield University locations: McMinnville Campus 900 SE Baker Street McMinnville, Oregon 97128 503-883-2200. Linfield is inventing policies on the fly to justify its retaliation against a tenured faculty member. This coded language plays off racist and toxic stereotypes with a long history in this country.. The Save Our Linfield nonprofit has raised more than $10,000 for a legal defense fund for . One of those trustees resigned in 2019 and has been charged with sexual abuse. The Anti-Defamation League and Oregon Board of Rabbis also asked him to resign. On Thursday, Pollack-Pelzner told JTA that he learned he was fired only when he discovered he was locked out of his work email. The governing council of a national academic association this week voted to censure Linfield University over the abrupt firing of tenured English professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, an advocate. The university exists as a powerful reminder that threats to academic freedom often come not from ideologues but from administrators who fear criticism and have no business running a university. In an interview on Friday, Mr. Baca acknowledged mentioning a power grab in a long and contentious discussion but said he had not known that Dr. Pollack-Pelzner was Jewish or that the comment could be construed as anti-Semitic. Linfield - Nursing is a private university located in Portland, Oregon. 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." Based on that investigation, the NAACP criticized the ADL and Oregon Board of Rabbis for calling on Davis to resign. This is purportedly an example as Linfield said in response to media inquiries of the conduct that is harmful to the university that necessitated Pollack-Pelzners immediate termination, but its not clear what the universitys interest is at all. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. FIREs 2022 College Free Speech Rankings are based on the voices of more than 44,000 currently enrolled students at 208 colleges and are designed to help parents and prospective students choose the right school. Here, you'll find full details on how to place either request. And theres been a total lack of accountability on the part of the school to take responsibility for whats happened and to engage in an honest conversation.. In another incident, Dr. Friedman reported that Dr. Davis had come up from behind her after a panel discussion in 2018 and had rubbed his hands up and down her arms while whispering that he was looking forward to meeting her later, she said. Davis said he didnt remember Pollack-Pelzners mentioning he was Jewish. Linfield University announced Tuesday that the chair of its Board of Trustees, David Baca, has stepped down from the leadership post after four years, including a tumultuous last several months at the private college in McMinnville. How to request transcripts Contact us For more information on how to get involved with Linfield, please don't hesitate to reach out. The American Association of University professors has joined the effort, assailing the reckless and dangerous termination as a clear violation of the core principles of academic freedom and tenure.. Be a part of it! By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. 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