AU professor sues school for retaliation

[Zeek 16,649]

Quote

An Auburn University economics professor sued the school this week over alleged "unlawful retaliatory practices" after he blew the whistle on an academic major reportedly kept open to benefit Auburn athletes.

Michael Stern, a professor and former chair in Auburn's economics department, filed the civil suit against Auburn in federal court Tuesday on the grounds of First Amendment retaliation. Stern alleges years of internal administrative battles over the school's connection to Koch Foundation, a conservative foundation, but devotes the majority of the suit to a scandal involving Auburn's public administration major and star athletes in the program. 

"The university has not been served with a lawsuit from Michael Stern," a university spokesman said in an emailed statement Thursday. "However, Auburn is fully committed to free speech, intellectual diversity and robust discussion of ideas."

Stern said Thursday he has not heard from university administration since he filed the lawsuit, but said he "greatly appreciates" support from his colleagues and faculty community.

“I've reached the conclusion that there is no path forward other than through the federal court," Stern said. "I don’t have any confidence whatsoever in the current administration. I had confidence under (former president) Jay Gogue, but when he left he couldn't protect me anymore.”

A Wall Street Journal article rattled the school in 2015 when documents and emails reportedly revealed athletic officials lobbying university administration to keep the public administration major intact. According to the report, 51 percent of the 111 students majoring in public administration during the fall 2013 semester were student-athletes, while the major accounted for less than 1 percent of the undergraduate population at Auburn. The Wall Street Journal reported Auburn's athletic department offered to subsidize the major, though Auburn officials said the offer was refused.

But according to Stern's suit, the professor first questioned the continued existence of the public administration program in February 2014, when he pushed back after a faculty presentation claimed "there was no clustering of athletes" in any Auburn major. 

Stern's suit states he acted as a source for the Wall Street Journal piece and, in the months following, received "disproportionate" salary and merit increases. Stern's suit alleges "intimidating" communication from Auburn deans and pressure to step down from his chair position. The suit also claims significant resources were withheld from the economics department.

“Auburn has some serious problems, particularly at the top," Stern said. "There's an inappropriate relationship between athletics and academics.”

This year, after Stern acted as a source for a Chronicle of Higher Education article about Auburn's attempt to "advance an athlete-friendly curriculum," the professor presented more data at a Faculty Senate Meeting. In May, he lost access to a central Auburn computer network, was removed from his position as department chair and lost access to his office on campus, the suit alleges.

Stern remains an Auburn employee and is currently teaching on-campus this semester. 

Stern's suit demands Auburn reappoint him as department chair, furnish back pay and cover attorneys' fees and court costs. Stern said Thursday he also hopes the lawsuit could bring a measure of reform to the school.

“Obviously, I would like to make (Auburn) as a good as institution as I can," he said. "It is capable of being a great institution. I certainly hope I can contribute to that. But if we're going to rig curricula to keep people eligible, that isn't going to take us to where we need to be as an academic institution. It needs to stop."

Matthew Stevens contributed to this report.

There's just something off about this whole situation.

Thoughts?

[AlaskanFAN 1,665]

It is not wise to drag your employer through the mud, they tend not to like it. 

[AU64 10,122]

6 hours ago, Zeek said:

There's just something off about this whole situation.

 

agree.....and First Amendment rights?   he has to be kidding doesn't he?  

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

There are athlete friendly major at every single university. Some of them are just because the major itself is not that difficult. Universities should not be developing or encouraging these. Like UNC using the loop hole that regular students had access to those same classes, thus the fake class was not an NCAA violation because it was not athlete specific.

Honestly athletics brings in many individuals that do not deserve or should be at many institutions. Either cause A)they don't have capability to perform academically in that setting, or b) they just flat out don't want to perform academically.

This is the problem with the amount of money that certain programs have started to being in. You dump your integrity for the money.

[AU64 10,122]

12 minutes ago, Texan4Auburn said:

There are athlete friendly major at every single university. Some of them are just because the major itself is not that difficult. Universities should not be developing or encouraging these. Like UNC using the loop hole that regular students had access to those same classes, thus the fake class was not an NCAA violation because it was not athlete specific.

Honestly athletics brings in many individuals that do not deserve or should be at many institutions. Either cause A)they don't have capability to perform academically in that setting, or b) they just flat out don't want to perform academically.

This is the problem with the amount of money that certain programs have started to being in. You dump your integrity for the money.

That happened a long time ago of course...but still is discouraging to see so many grads who don't seem bothered by it as long as the team is wining. ..or trying to win.....  

[Zeek 16,649]

14 hours ago, AlaskanFAN said:

It is not wise to drag your employer through the mud, they tend not to like it. 

Especially over something, and pardon my ignorance, that seems so trivial. The article makes it sound like this guy dropped a bombshell on Auburn. But when you read what he’s claiming it sounds more like he dropped a decently heavy stone on our toes.

 

[slot canyon 1,333]

17 hours ago, Texan4Auburn said:

There are athlete friendly major at every single university. Some of them are just because the major itself is not that difficult. Universities should not be developing or encouraging these. Like UNC using the loop hole that regular students had access to those same classes, thus the fake class was not an NCAA violation because it was not athlete specific.

Honestly athletics brings in many individuals that do not deserve or should be at many institutions. Either cause A)they don't have capability to perform academically in that setting, or b) they just flat out don't want to perform academically.

This is the problem with the amount of money that certain programs have started to being in. You dump your integrity for the money.

I have felt much the same about this issue.  It moves us away from the real purpose of the University.

[PUB78 1,358]

Auburn has watered down the Public Administration major. At one time, it required two accounting, two economics, business law and I think principles of management. It gave students the basics of a business degree before they took the high level public administration courses.