Point Park Globe Spring 2020 Issue 3

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@PPUGlobe January 22, 2020

Kylie Thomas reviews Mac Miller’s posthumous album “Circles” Women join NHL All-Star weekend’s inter-divison 3-on-3 tournament Women’s basketball’s Michelle Burns earns her 1,000th-career point ppuglobe.com

Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967

Issue 3

Professor files 18-count lawsuit against university University denies allegations, will ‘vigorously defend itself’ Dara Collins and Jordyn Hronec Editor-in-Chief and Editor-Elect

A longtime professor claims in a 65-page lawsuit that deep fissions between her and two professors rooted in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, among other differences, resulted in a wide assortment of discrimination and retaliation against her. Chairwoman of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) department, Dr. Channa Newman, is suing the university on 18 counts. The counts include: ● Discrimination of race/national origin, religion, age and sex ● Retaliation by stripping of duties, removing as Chair, etc. ● Hostile work environment causing Newman to feel unsafe ● Breach of contract and negligent supervision by administration who Newman claims ignored her ● Intentional infliction of emotional distress resulting from university’s actions In a written statement, Point Park University denied all counts in Newman’s complaint.

“The University categorically denies the allegations of wrongdoing contained in the complaint, and will vigorously defend itself in the lawsuit,” university spokesperson Lou Corsaro said. “Point Park is an inclusive community free of discrimination. As a matter of policy, the University welcomes and supports all faculty members regardless of their race, gender, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, physical ability and political affiliation. Point Park embraces and actively pursues a policy of inclusiveness that reflects the diversity of the community it serves.”

OVERVIEW

Newman filed a civil lawsuit in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against Point Park University on Thursday, Jan. 9. Dr. Robert Ross and Dr. J. Dwight Hines are explicitly mentioned in a number of items in the lawsuit. In a written statement to The Globe, Ross argues the statements from the lawsuit. “This lawsuit attempts to use my work in the movement for Palestinian human

rights as a basis to attack my support for students who felt victimized by a professor last academic year,” Ross said via email statement. Newman complained to university administration about national origin and religious discrimination and “suffered materially adverse actions.” Some actions detailed in the lawsuit include cancelling her classes, removing her as Chair of HSS, shunning her in the workplace and accusing her of another Title IX violation without details of accusers or allegations, according to the suit. After the university charged Newman with a Title IX violation in the fall 2018 semester, the complaint says Newman’s reputation was “grievously” harmed following the sanction and ban. The suit says the university’s decision to charge Newman was a “misapplication of the law, an overreaction, an effort to target her, an insult to valid Title IX claims and claimants, and a pretext to remove her.” The punishment of Newman also reflects the “inadequacy and negligence” in Title IX training as well as the

HONORING DR. KING’S LEGACY

anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, age and/or sex discrimination against Newman, according to the lawsuit. Newman claims she “remains prey to unsubstantiated charges, endless investigations, career damage, degradation of her faculty and chair roles, excessive scrutiny and attacks on her academic freedom,” according to the lawsuit. Newman said her concerns were ignored by administration, and discriminatory and hostile treatment by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) group was “condoned” by administration. “I was ostracized, demonized, defamed and targeted for elimination,” Newman said in a written statement via email. “I remain under constant investigation, although the administration doesn’t tell me the charges or who made them.” Newman allegedly suffered “serious emotional distress, physical manifestation of emotional distress, reputation harm and out of pocket costs” as a result of the university’s actions detailed in the lawsuit. Newman is seeking all remedies

DISCRIMINATION

The lawsuit lists five separate counts of discrimination. There is one count each on the basis of race/national origin, religion, age and two counts on the basis of sex. The complaint claims that Ross promoted “highly anti-Zionist views and activities,” and that he was supported by Hines. The suit alleges that Ross promoted bias against Israel in his courses, specifically in one class that required reading on the BDS and focused on the Israel Palestine conflict (see fact box on page two for information on the Israel/Palestine conflict and Zionism). According to the lawsuit, Ross used his position to foster a version of the BDS movement against Israel that included economic, academic and cultural boycott of Israel and Israelis. “Like my solidarity with the Palestinian people, my commitment to ensuring that students have access to education in an environment

LAWSUIT page 2

Pittsburgh holds fourth annual Women’s March Lauryn Nania For The Globe

Katie Williams | The Globe Claude Flowers of the Youth Enrichment Association speaks on behalf of his organization at “A Life of Service: A MLK Tribute” hosted by Point Park’s Black Student Union. BSU presented the tribute event in the Pittsburgh Playhouse’s PNC Theater on Monday, Jan. 20 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

permitted under federal and state law.

The weather wasn’t forgiving in the city on Jan. 18th; however, the icy rain didn’t stop hundreds to gather at the Pittsburgh City County building to participate in Pittsburgh’s fourth annual Women’s March. Tracy Baton, founder of the Pittsburgh Women’s march, knew to expand the Women’s March to Pittsburgh, as the Russian interference in the 2016 election unfolded. “I tell people if your vote didn’t matter, the Russians wouldn’t be trying to steal it,” Baton said. The Women’s March originally began in 2017, the day after Trump’s inauguration. Hundreds of cities across the nation continued to take part in their own Women’s March since 2017, including Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh’s Women’s March began at the Pittsburgh City County building and traveled the streets of the city to end in Market Square. The city’s 2020 march was titled “Women’s March Pittsburgh: Hear Our Vote!” The title tied into a cru-

cial, umbrella theme of this year’s march which voiced the importance of voting. The local primary election is April 28 and the general election is Nov. 3. “We feel like where we’ve been the strongest is in collecting power for women to vote, people to vote, for women’s lives,” Baton said. Prior to the march, elected officials spoke to the audience such as State Sen. Pam Iovino and Rep. Conor Lamb. A number of candidates running for the April primary were also present to speak before the crowd such as Sara Innamarto, Emily Kinkead, Aerion Abney, Sharon Guidi, Sarah Heck, Christina Hartman, Michael Lamb, Ed Gainey, Michele Knoll, Garret Wassermann, Marco Attisano and Jay Costa. Baton discussed that nationally women recognize their power by way of more women running for office around the country. However, locally, there are still prevalent issues remaining that need discussion. Many of the candiates

MARCH page 3

Weather Forecast

Today: Cloudy H 39, L 22

Thursday: Cloudy, H 44, L 27 Friday: Rain, H 48, L 32 Saturday: Rain, H 38, L 32

Sunday: Rain, H 38, L 31 Monday: Cloudy, H 39, L 31 Tuesday: Cloudy, H 40, L 32

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