Joann Groff
Editor in Chief
In the midst of a budget changes, the administration may have another bill to prioritize — a lawsuit for labor discrimination.
Dr. Lynn Reynolds, Communication professor, has filed a grievance in response to the plans to dismiss her in 2006. If President Andrew K. Benton refuses to overturn the decision made by Provost Darryl Tippens, who heard recommendations from the dean and the Rank, Tenure and Promotion Committee, Reynolds may sue.
When new faculty are hired, it is understood that they will undergo a tenure review after five years. Reynolds, who was hired in 1999, was ready for this step in the fall. Sept. 15, she submitted a portfolio to be reviewed by RTP. It was accompanied by an eight-page evaluation by Communication Chair Dr. Bob Chandler, and five peer reviews, written by tenured Communication professors.
On Dec. 10, Reynolds received two letters, one from Baird and one from RTP, both denying her a recommendation for tenure, and dismissing her after one more year of service. Reynolds said both parties also informed her of her right to grieve, or appeal, the decision, and she did on Jan. 10.
The decision to deny her tenure enraged Reynolds, who is claiming foul play and gross
misrepresentation of her work at Pepperdine. A source close to the case told the Graphic that a letter signed by most senior Communication faculty members also ruffled the feathers of the deans at Seaver.
“It questioned some of the information filed in (Reynolds’) tenure-review process and suggested that a third, independent party, perhaps another chair, review (her) file,” the source said.
Reynolds claims that there were many discrepancies in her portfolio and chair evaluation, including inaccurate student-evaluation information. After five years of teaching and mostly good feedback, she says that the three comments from the evaluations chosen by Chandler to be included in her report were extremely negative and “contemptible,” like one comment to the effect of “she’s probably only here because her husband is.” Reynolds called Chandler’s review “scathing.”
“My part of the process was only to write an evaluation,” Chandler said. “I can’t comment on the evaluation (I wrote) … I can’t disclose anything about performance. But I hold myself to the same standards of fairness and honesty that I hold to everyone, all students and professors.”
Reynolds also claims that Baird told her they had to throw (the five peer reviews) out, that they were simply too good.
Chandler was skeptical that the committee would make those assumptions.
“It is difficult for me to imagine that those faculty (on the RTP committee) … didn’t consider everything thoroughly,” Chandler said.
Reynolds also said her evaluation ratings were inaccurate, her seven most positive student evaluations were removed and suspiciously found in her mailbox days later, her faith-unit, which she incorporated into her class was not included in the report, and her portfolio was given to the RTP committee extremely disheveled, with pages not in order and crumpled.
These are some of the grievances she said she’s been waiting to report. Her hearing has just been set for April 7.
“All of February and March I heard nothing,” Reynolds said. “Apparently because people had conflicting class hours … so basically since Dec. 10th I’ve been waiting to get some kind of justice.”
Baird said the process is new to him.
“I’ve never been down this road before,” said Baird, who claims that since he’s been a dean at Seaver, no one has ever grieved a negative recommendation.
“Their (the grievance committee’s) primary responsibility will be to ask the question of whether the procedures were followed,” Baird added. “In this (Reynold’s) case, that’s the issue at hand.”
The April 7 hearing has been allotted a 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. time slot, one that is too short, according to Reynolds.
“They had to end it early because they said someone has to give a test then,” Reynolds said. “And of course, the follow-up is still to be determined.”
But Reynolds may be moving on regardless of the final decision. She said she has not interviewed anywhere else, but has been talking to friends at other Christian colleges in the area. Reynolds said she is “still in prayer” over whether she will choose to leave even if the original decision is overturned.
Baird said the process could easily last into the summer. But as soon as the grievance committee delivers its recommendation, and the president hands down the final ruling, the process ends. Then, he said, Reynolds would have no more university avenues to take — the only option remaining is to sue Pepperdine.
Reynolds admitted she was still “praying hard over (that decision).”
Baird lamented the process.
“These are not happy situations,” Baird said. “It’s unhappy for everyone, all of the parties involved in these kind of things. Those emotionally involved, and invested, they interpret this as rejection — it’s not happy at all.”
Chandler said he is hoping for the best, although he was unaware of all the accusations pegged against him.
“If there was a problem, I hope it gets fixed,” Chandler said. “Sometimes people perceive things … I hope she gets a fair hearing. I believe that everyone should act fairly and sympathetically and appropriately.”
Tippens said according to the tenure policy about personnel issues, he was unable to comment.
03-24-2005