A professor in Ohio University's College of Business has refused to accept proposed punishments in response to the ethics complaint filed against him last fall.
Because marketing professor Ashok Gupta did not accept the verbal resolution, the process will move on to the college's Professional Ethics Committee in the next week. The committee will conduct an investigation and propose another resolution, said Dawn Deeter-Schmelz, chair of the marketing department and the college's associate dean for research and graduate programs.
They want me to be punished because I dare to speak
dare to expose unethical practices in the college. That is why I believe that this is wrong Gupta said. This is a harassment to me and an attack on my right to free speech.
The resolution that Gupta turned down listed several proposed punishments.
The resolution would have restricted his teaching opportunities at other universities, asked that he send letters of apology and excluded him from colleague evaluations for salary raises, tenure and promotion for five years.
According to Gupta's response, if he had agreed to the resolution, he would only be able to teach at Marshall during summer break or while on professional or unpaid leave.
The OU Faculty Handbook does not mention prohibiting outside work during the regular academic quarters or Winter Intersession, according to Gupta's response.
Gupta ' who has a 2006-07 annual salary of $117,593 ' also refused to send letters of apology to media, faculty, administrators and students.The complaint was signed by 22 faculty members and accused Gupta of several unprofessional and unethical acts - Deeter-Schmelz said, adding that she developed the proposed resolution during Winter Intersession.
Deeter-Schmelz declined to comment on Gupta's response.
My role in this process is to remain objective and fair
she said.
This process normally would be referred to Dean Glenn Corlett first, but will go to the committee because one of the primary targets of Dr. Gupta's attacks is the Dean of the College of Business
according to the Oct. 27, 2006, complaint.
According to the Faculty Handbook, the committee has 30 days after receiving the allegations to issue a recommendation. The provost has 30 days after receiving this recommendation to announce a decision. The person charged then has 21 days to appeal the provost's decision to the Professional Relations Committee of Faculty Senate. That committee than has 30 days to submit its recommendations to the president, who makes the final decision.
17
Archives
Bethany Furkin
