Linfield stands against xenophobia, racism, antisemitism and sexual misconduct in all forms.. 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. 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. 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.. Its just devastating, Dr. Pollack-Pelzner said, adding that he had spoken publicly in his capacity as a faculty trustee who had received complaints from students and colleagues. The ADL, the report says, failed to conduct any independent investigation, preferring to simply believe the complaint despite the fact the University had already conducted an independent review. He said racial bias might be a factor in the accusations. This coded language plays off racist and toxic stereotypes with a long history in this country.. The president said he was unaware of the guidelines, hadnt seen the most recent version of the faculty handbook, didnt know who had updated it, and didnt believe it had been approved by the administration. In response, he said, Mr. Baca, the board chairman, accused me a Jewish trustee of harboring a secret agenda to grab power.. The fact that Linfield violated its own policies is so clear that President Davis can only assert that the handbook, which was revised as recently as 2020 and is almost certainly contractually binding, is woefully out of date. As more than one reporter has observed, the employee handbook, which Davis asserts is a better guide, refers readers to the very appendix in which the procedures Linfield failed to follow are set forth. Jubb has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Davis is Linfields first Black president, and the report said that since 1970, no Black people have been elected as faculty trustee or faculty executive chair. Baca, a 1978 Linfield graduate and partner in the Davis Wright Tremaine law firm, recently was reelected to another three-year term on the board and remains its chair. 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?. Rabbi Eve Posen, president of the Oregon Board of Rabbis, told JTA that the Oregon Board of Rabbis is interested and would be more than happy to work with the NAACP, but did not elaborate. 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. $2.3B Qcells Solar Power Investment Holds Major Potential for Georgia - January 26, 2023. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a tenured. Agre-Kippenhan, Linfields Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, does Davis no favors in playing second fiddle. FIRE defends the rights of students and faculty members no matter their views at public and private universities and colleges in the United States. Due mostly to Davis denials, an independent investigation could not substantiate the allegations. President Davis has been accused of being divisive, intimidating, combative, aggressive, disrespectful and abusive. That is our challenge and our charge.. How Oregon researchers are testing 3D printing to reconstruct bone. Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. David Baca, longtime chair of Linfield University's Board of Trustees, said this week that he's stepping down. He also insisted that the remark was part of an academic discussion and wasnt meant to be offensive. Regardless, I asked for and received his resignation from the Board.. You will receive a link to create a new password via email. The local ADL representative did not respond to a call for comment on Friday. 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. Discover who you're meant to be. The Anti-Defamation League and Oregon Board of Rabbis also asked him to resign. Tenure and contracts are not Calvinball. In interviews this week, Dr. Davis and the board chairman, David Baca, denied any wrongdoing. Pollack-Pelzner and two other professors accused Davis of making antisemitic comments about Jewish noses and the Holocaust, but Davis denied the allegations. Dies geschieht in Ihren Datenschutzeinstellungen. With its 52-23 win over Pacific University (Ore.) on Saturday, the Linfield Wildcats moved to 5-0 on the season and guaranteed themselves a 65th consecutive winning season. The Oregon Board of Rabbis called on Dr. Davis and Mr. Baca to resign. 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. It . Davis said he didnt remember Pollack-Pelzners mentioning he was Jewish. The Save Our Linfield nonprofit has raised more than $10,000 for a legal defense fund for . And because of the incompetent despotism of some of its leaders, Linfield is now a national story. 2023 jewish telegraphic agency all rights reserved. She was 87. OPBs critical reporting and inspiring programs are made possible by the power of member support. Linfield University locations: McMinnville Campus 900 SE Baker Street McMinnville, Oregon 97128 503-883-2200. 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. 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.. So to Speak podcast transcript: What is academic freedom? 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.. 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.. 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. Richard Belzer was a Jewish comedian. No competent university leader could credibly believe that tenured faculty are at-will employees. Daviss answer is wildly implausible on its face and incomprehensibly at odds with the basic conception of tenure. 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. Jackson B. Miller, a communication arts professor, criticized both statements,. 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. Last year, Linfields faculty assembly voted it had no confidence in Baca, specifically in his ability to handle sexual harassment reporting, according to reporting from Linfields student newspaper The Linfield Review. All Ive been trying to do for the last two years is to get Linfield leadership to follow its own policies. Baca has been on the board for13 years. 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 two statements are the latest developments in a controversy that has roiled the McMinnville campus for months. 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. Pollack-Pelzners interpretation of what Davis meant is a matter of opinion, not fact, and remains protected speech. 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. Baca came under scrutiny most recently earlier this year when former faculty member Daniel Pollack-Pelzner brought to light allegations of harassment and anti-Semitism among Linfield leadership. Lost your password? 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. And the Anti-Defamation Leagues Pacific Northwest office urged Dr. Davis to consider stepping down. Based on that investigation, the NAACP criticized the ADL and Oregon Board of Rabbis for calling on Davis to resign. The handbook needs to be revised or it was never approved? The university respects that individuals are free to express their opinions on social media, but that doesnt make them accurate, Nelson said. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. Linfield University canceled faculty Listservs over the weekend, sparking faculty cries of censorship. In his recent statement, Baca said his email to trustees announcing Jubbs resignation was supposed to be a private note., For those who expected me to publicly denounce Mr. Jubb, I would remind them that there had not been an investigation and there were no findings. The two statements are the latest developments in a controversy that has roiled the McMinnville campus for months. Research Reveals Thermal Instability of Solar Cells but Offers a Bright Path Forward - February 14, 2023. He told the Chronicle that his comment had been informed by his time in the Middle East. Review Beyond the Classroom Academic Opportunities Learning at Linfield spans well beyond the traditional classroom setting. 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. Feb . 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