Dr. Pushparajah Tavarajah sits on campus at North Dakota State University
And the nonrenewal meeting was not summarized, including that it did not include a summary of any input or statements by Dr. Thavarajah during the meeting. Testimony raged between the two sides of the case. Both sides provided students with strong opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of Thavarajah’s teaching. One student, who had been the most vocal in denouncing Thavarajah, was a graduate student advisee of his, who had asked to withdraw from the graduate program. “I pushed my students with the fact that writing is very important. That’s a fact of life. And that, really basically, is what this particular student was not happy about. She went directly to the Dean with that. ... And then he started my performance evaluation by saying, ‘In my 20 years, no student had ever come to my office, complaining about a professor’s teaching. This is the first time, so that’s the reason you should go home.’” Both sides acknowledged the incredible strengths that Thavarajah brought to NDSU in his research skills, which make up 85 percent of his duties at the University. A number of his peers in teaching, students who admired his methods, and private partners such as the Corn Council, testified strongly on his behalf. At the end of the hearing, the committee’s decision was unanimous. With a 5-0 vote, SCFR ruled in favor of Dr. Thavarajah. The College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources (CAFSNR) has a policy in place for promotion, tenure, evaluations, dismissals, termination and nonrenewals, and NDSU failed to comply with the CAFSNR Policy 6.4, in two different respects.
ndunited.org
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It was a shock,” Thavarajah said. “I didn’t know what to do, really. I was lost, and a little bit angry and
frustrated.”
First, Dr. Schuh could not serve as a neutral third party in the initial meeting on Thavarajah’s nonrenewal, as she serves directly under Grafton, and had proven herself emotionally invested in the case. Secondly, NDSU failed to comply with CAFSNR Policy 6.4 in relation to preparation of a summary of the nonrenewal meeting by the Chair or Head, to be provided to the faculty member. The findings of the SCFR were turned over to President Bresciani on July 1. Bresciani ruled that Thavarajah can continue in his current position through June 30, 2014. At that time, his department will be dissolved, so Thavarajah has until then to find a new department within NDSU, or move onto somewhere else. In all, the administration at NDSU failed repeatedly to follow procedure for nonrenewal of Dr. Thavarajah, and gave the nonrenewal inadequate consideration. With guidance from his union, he was able to defend himself, and earn a second consideration. “University policies are designed by the faculty,” Thavarajah said. “Administrators are there to implement the policies. Just like you and me are the shareholders of the company, the CEO’s job is to make sure that the company runs, in the interest of the shareholders. And here, the vice president, while making those decisions, doesn’t know the policies. I find that very troubling.”
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