What is most important to ask here, is what do we do about this? It should be noted that these universities all seek to protect the accuser and the inquisitors identity hidden while leaking information that publicly outs the accused for private bullying and harassment. A good way to respond is with the old idea of mutually assured destruction from nuclear deterrence. Any time an allegation is made, the name, position, phone number, email and address of the accuser, their attorney, witnesses for their case, advocates for their case and the administrators/faculty/students serving on conduct boards involved need to placed in a prominent public domain for all to see. Let them be placed in the light of the star chamber with you so the community can hold THEM accountable. This will quickly put an end to false accusations from these parties. Perhaps and organization like FIRE could make itself useful by providing this service.
1. College instructors need a real union to help protect them, with negotiated contracts that require full disclosure of accusations and the right to have a union rep be present at meetings, especially now that most of them don't have the option to try for tenure. Primary & secondary school teachers have a strong union, there's no reason college teachers can't.
2. Instructors must record all classes and meetings with students for both their protection;
3. Instructors must know their rights. It's their job to educate themselves.
In 2022, was investigated for accusations of racism. The student's grievance was all appeals to emotion; there was nothing "racist" in her account. She just didn't want to have to take an academic writing course, and screamed as such at me in the breakout room. I told her that all I had to go on was the evidence in her written work and homework to date, none of which was exempt or even passable. "You don't know what you're doing!" she yelled.
And that is how a "racist" was born.
HR told me at the outset of the investigation that "2022 has been a banner year" for accusations of racism.
Anyway, I had said nothing racist. I refused to discuss race in my classes despite mandates to do so. My crime was to ask the student if she would work with another student on presenting Chicago Manual of Style. That's it. The student said she felt "singled out" for her race, even though the other student, who had volunteered to do the presentation, was the only white student in the class.
At the end of my kangaroo trial, HR told me that I had to provide evidence that I was not "racist."
I asked, "What evidence did this student provide that I am "racist"?
"Oh, she doesn't have to provide evidence," said HR. "All that matters is the way you made her feel."
I am almost hoping to be investigated again to have another story or set of stories to write about! It was a great experience the first time around!
I am now doing battle with the RU IRB over the grounds for some of their sanctions and investigations of me and my lab. This can cut both ways. It might make them pissed and punitive. OR it might lead them to conclude I am not worth the trouble of investigating. OR it might do nothing -- their rules are their rules and the psychotic bureaucracy is the psychotic bureaucracy so they will keep investigating/sanctioning me and anyone else for violating their insane rules. UNLESS we get them to change the rules, which is my ultimate goal (I am enjoying this lowgrade war, though I am not optimistic about winning it).
Well, I'm glad you're enjoy tussling with your IRB. I think your battle with them is noteworthy given its novelty. IRBs provide an otherwise untapped bureaucratic potential for fucking with faculty members. So it's good to get the word out, but worrisome if other IRBs start emulating yours. Surely the exchange of ideas at atixa (the Title IX staffers' professional association) led to great woe for faculty and students, so I hope your guys aren't communicating with their peers.
This is really interesting and eye-opening, thanks.
You didn't have to tell us about your own experiences, but the fact that you did gives you credibility.
There's a catch to that though - having told us, you open yourself to scrutiny of course, which can backfire credibility-wise. You only provided a partial account of the 1st complaint against you. You mention the one part about the 20-year-old remark, repeatedly, but also repeatedly choose not to say what the other parts of the 1st complaint were. Leading the reader to wonder whether you are being self-serving in your choices of what to reveal, and whether the credibility we are tempted to award you is deserved, which determines whether we take what you say here seriously.
A few newly founded universities are providing the beginning of competition for schools that are catering to easily emanated students. May more proliferate.
Sadly, unions are completely unhelpful in these matters as they will kowtow to the accused and university bureaucracy.
What is most important to ask here, is what do we do about this? It should be noted that these universities all seek to protect the accuser and the inquisitors identity hidden while leaking information that publicly outs the accused for private bullying and harassment. A good way to respond is with the old idea of mutually assured destruction from nuclear deterrence. Any time an allegation is made, the name, position, phone number, email and address of the accuser, their attorney, witnesses for their case, advocates for their case and the administrators/faculty/students serving on conduct boards involved need to placed in a prominent public domain for all to see. Let them be placed in the light of the star chamber with you so the community can hold THEM accountable. This will quickly put an end to false accusations from these parties. Perhaps and organization like FIRE could make itself useful by providing this service.
1. College instructors need a real union to help protect them, with negotiated contracts that require full disclosure of accusations and the right to have a union rep be present at meetings, especially now that most of them don't have the option to try for tenure. Primary & secondary school teachers have a strong union, there's no reason college teachers can't.
2. Instructors must record all classes and meetings with students for both their protection;
3. Instructors must know their rights. It's their job to educate themselves.
In 2022, was investigated for accusations of racism. The student's grievance was all appeals to emotion; there was nothing "racist" in her account. She just didn't want to have to take an academic writing course, and screamed as such at me in the breakout room. I told her that all I had to go on was the evidence in her written work and homework to date, none of which was exempt or even passable. "You don't know what you're doing!" she yelled.
And that is how a "racist" was born.
HR told me at the outset of the investigation that "2022 has been a banner year" for accusations of racism.
Anyway, I had said nothing racist. I refused to discuss race in my classes despite mandates to do so. My crime was to ask the student if she would work with another student on presenting Chicago Manual of Style. That's it. The student said she felt "singled out" for her race, even though the other student, who had volunteered to do the presentation, was the only white student in the class.
At the end of my kangaroo trial, HR told me that I had to provide evidence that I was not "racist."
I asked, "What evidence did this student provide that I am "racist"?
"Oh, she doesn't have to provide evidence," said HR. "All that matters is the way you made her feel."
Hi Dog, might you be interested in contributing to a follow-up to Professors Speak Out? If so, please contact me.
Cordially,
Nick
I am almost hoping to be investigated again to have another story or set of stories to write about! It was a great experience the first time around!
I am now doing battle with the RU IRB over the grounds for some of their sanctions and investigations of me and my lab. This can cut both ways. It might make them pissed and punitive. OR it might lead them to conclude I am not worth the trouble of investigating. OR it might do nothing -- their rules are their rules and the psychotic bureaucracy is the psychotic bureaucracy so they will keep investigating/sanctioning me and anyone else for violating their insane rules. UNLESS we get them to change the rules, which is my ultimate goal (I am enjoying this lowgrade war, though I am not optimistic about winning it).
Well, I'm glad you're enjoy tussling with your IRB. I think your battle with them is noteworthy given its novelty. IRBs provide an otherwise untapped bureaucratic potential for fucking with faculty members. So it's good to get the word out, but worrisome if other IRBs start emulating yours. Surely the exchange of ideas at atixa (the Title IX staffers' professional association) led to great woe for faculty and students, so I hope your guys aren't communicating with their peers.
I sure would.
This is really interesting and eye-opening, thanks.
You didn't have to tell us about your own experiences, but the fact that you did gives you credibility.
There's a catch to that though - having told us, you open yourself to scrutiny of course, which can backfire credibility-wise. You only provided a partial account of the 1st complaint against you. You mention the one part about the 20-year-old remark, repeatedly, but also repeatedly choose not to say what the other parts of the 1st complaint were. Leading the reader to wonder whether you are being self-serving in your choices of what to reveal, and whether the credibility we are tempted to award you is deserved, which determines whether we take what you say here seriously.
In this case, fuller disclosure is warranted.
I've recounted this investigation in some detail here:
https://quillette.com/2017/08/24/survived-title-ix-star-chamber/
I'd also be happy to share the documents the university produced, including the allegations against me. However, no one has ever asked for them.
Thanks!
A few newly founded universities are providing the beginning of competition for schools that are catering to easily emanated students. May more proliferate.
I hope that these professors offer their skills independently on the internet and achieve massive success.
Are we experiencing the beginning of the death of large institutions?
I doubt it. The big privates are too rich; the big state U's have the power and finances of the states behind them. But some change is in the wind.
The internet is democratizing everything. You said it. More and more big changes to come.