School revokes prof’s privileges after she encourages students, offers credit, to protest Kavanaugh
40 mins
The University of Southern Maine has banned a professor from teaching at any of its campuses after she encouraged students to protest Justice Brett Kavanaugh, even going so far as to offer them credit for doing so.
What did the school say?
Professor Susan Feiner retired from the school in July but was still permitted to teach occasional courses at the university.
However, the university revoked Feiner’s teaching privileges entirely after discovering that she decided to offer course credit for students who were willing to travel to Washington, D.C., and protest Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. Feiner reportedly offered this course without university approval.
In a Wednesday statement in the Portland Press Herald, USM President Glenn Cummings said that the school was “embarrassed” by Feiner’s conduct and was not happy that she used a school class to advance her “personal political agenda.”
“We are embarrassed by and apologize for the rogue behavior of a former colleague,” Cummings said. “In response to her inappropriate actions, Dr. Susan Feiner has been notified that she is now barred from teaching at the University of Southern Maine, a prohibition that will be upheld by the other campuses of the University of Maine System as well.”
Cummings noted that Feiner had offered “an unauthorized class that advanced her personal political agenda,” adding that no campus resources were used to support what he referred to as “one-sided political activism.”
According to the outlet, the university is still under investigation for advertising the course without approval. The outlet reported that in order to teach a course “a contract between the retired faculty member and the university” must be in place.
Earlier in October, Cummings told the outlet that Feiner “acted in a very rogue manner,” and called her behavior both “inappropriate” and “unacceptable.”
James Page, who is chancellor of the University of Maine system, also expressed his disappointment earlier in October.
“The use of institutional resources to advance a partisan agenda violates board policies established to ensure Maine’s public universities remain nonpartisan and politically neutral,” he said.
“Inviting arrest for college credit goes much further, violating the trust of our students, their families, and Maine taxpayers have placed in our universities, and could result in serious professional consequences,” he added.
Anything else?
Maine Republican Party Executive Director Jason Savage lauded the school’s ban on Feiner in a Wednesday statement.
“President Glenn Cummings and the University of Maine System showed true integrity in dealing with this situation swiftly,” Savage said. “We are very pleased to see immediate, and forceful, action taken on this matter. I personally extend my gratitude to President Cummings and those involved in addressing this situation.”
Has Feiner responded to the news of her banning?
Feiner said she does not plan to contest the university’s decision.
“Why [would I]? I’m retired. It’s USM’s loss,” she wrote in a text message to the outlet, and noted her disappointment that “hundreds of thousands in planned giving is gone.”
Feiner said she would offer no further comment until the investigation was complete.
You can read more on Feiner’s background, and the background on the initial incident here.
No comments:
Post a Comment