December 18, 1996
Dr. Stephane E. Booth, President
AAUP - Kent State University Chapter
1100 East Summit Street
Kent, Ohio 44240
Dear Dr. Booth:
It is indeed unfortunate that the undersigned faculty of the Department
of Pan-African Studies have concluded that they can no longer tolerate
the continuous violation of faculty governance policies and procedures
itemized in the Collective Bargaining Agreement as promulgated in 1995,
the University Register, and the Department's Faculty Handbook (approved
by the College of Arts and Sciences in 1984 and
revised in 1993 or 1994). The AAUP Chapter
should be informed that we have discussed our grievances with the provost
and the dean. While Dean Danks is sensitive to our dilemma, some members
of the central administration have resorted to intimidation or treated
our complaints with benign neglect. Furthermore, Dr. Garrison's policy
violations demonstrate his lack of administrative skills, his lack of familiarity
with the mission of Africana Studies in general, and the Department of
Pan-African Studies in particular. Even though this is not the place to
list every violation the chairperson has committed, we do feel it is incumbent
on us, however, to list some of his most flagrant violations of policy.
This is what follows:
-
Dr. Garrison has usurped the function and purpose of the FAC's ability
to recommend new faculty and staff hirings. In some recent instances, the
chair has issued letters of hire before the FAC has a chance to
interview candiates, Dr. Garrison has failed to carry out his responsibility
to inform his faculty about University sponsored research opportunities,
faculty development research awards, i.e., sabbaticals, intercession and
summer teaching possibilities; Dr. Garrison fails to follow the University's
tenure and promotion procedures. He has failed to respond to deadlines
and fails to discuss critical policy issues with the FAC, the curriculum
committee, and departmental division heads. Documents requested by the
College dean, for instance, are as a standard practice turned in late and
to date he has failed to discuss the Department's Mission Statement with
the faculty;
-
Dr. Garrison persists in assigning individuals to teach courses after the
Department's curriculum committee has deemed the individuals unprepared
in the specific teaching requirements for a given course. The chair dismisses
any complaints by faculty, saying that the Department is not a democracy
and that as the chair, his is the only judgement that must be responded
to.
-
Dr. Garrison makes decisions impacting or committing the Department and
its faculty/staff without first seeking the faculty/staff's advice or consent.
-
Dr. Garrison has unilaterally decided to bar emeritus faculty and the Department's
graduate assistants from all faculty/staff meetings. However, he still
allows undergraduate officers of the Black United Students to attend
all meetings.
As mentioned earlier on, we are calling for the extraordinary review of
Dr. Garrison for the numerous violations of University policy as outlined
in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the DPAS Faculty Handbook, and
the University Register. Additional policy violations not mentioned above
are the following: 1. Disregards nonreappointment and dismissal procedures;
2. Fails to properly allocate academic staff; 3. Disrespects the departmental
curriculum and/or the intense need for program evolution; 4. Vitiates policies
governing faculty evaluations relative to salary and merit increases; 5.
Fails to follow established budget priorities and guidelines; 6. Fails
to inform himself on faculty teaching areas and service on departmental,
university and community-based committees; 7. Administers the Department
without regard to the establishment and maintenance of the academic unit
handbook; 8. Fails to insure that students are properly advised; 9. Disregards
previously established instructional quality standards; and 10. Flaunts
his responsibility to insure that class schedules and sizes are recommended
by the FAC and that office hours and associated departmental duties of
faculty members are held.
Sincerely
Dr. Fran Dorsey
Dr. Jacqueline Rowser
Dr. Diedre Badejo
Prof. Mwatabu Okantah
cc: Dr. Joseph Danks, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences |