Whistleblower comes forward to let me know I am not alone.

UVM’s highly respected 5-member Faculty Standards Committee (FSC) has watched many a department chair in action.   After all, it reviews scores of reappointment decisions and in doing so observes the practices and procedures of department chairs who are responsible for conducting these reviews.

I have always argued that the Chair of the Department of Economics was dead set on removing me, as was spelled out in my rebuttal to her statement following the department’s vote to not reappoint me. Well, it turns out I am not alone in this belief. In a surprise move, just a week before my grievance hearing at the Vermont Labor Relations Board (VRLB) would take place (Feb. 14-15), a member of the FSC made an unsolicited phone call to me, unable to remain silent any more. The member stated that he would like to testify at the hearing, despite the potential for punishment by UVM. The member wanted to testify about what this member said committee members believe — that the Chair was “out to get” me.

I was both shocked and relieved at the same time. Shocked because this is a highly unusual move by a member of the FSC. Relieved because finally I learned I am not alone in my belief. Now I had information confirming that veteran senior professors who make up the FSC believe the same thing.

Fortuntately, and to their credit, the Vermont Labor Relations Board, over vehement objections from UVM’s lawyers, allowed this information into evidence. During my under oath narrative testimony I was allowed to recount the call (a fact) over UVM’s objection that this was “hearsay inside of hearsay”.  The fact is the call took place, and I know who called me. and the FSC member knows what was said by other members.

The FSC believes I was purged. President Sullivan?

~JS