Once again, the Post‘s David Harsanyi brings an important case to light. In today’s column, he highlights the case of Phil Mitchell, a veteran instructor at the University of Colorado who was recently fired. For having views or professional practices like Ward Churchill? Hardly. Mitchell is a conservative Christian who claims he was set up. (Disclosure: Though I’ve never met Mitchell, we have mutual friends.)
To his credit, Harsanyi presents the case in a fair and balanced manner:
Mitchell can relay stories of the nasty anti-Christian bigotry he’s experienced on campus. I suspect that bias is very real. But those are the hard knocks of free speech. The question is: Do those incidents mean there is a conspiracy to remove him from CU? It may be convenient for conservatives to say yes. But we don’t really know.
Brown, a trusted figure in this state, however, can investigate this case and answer that question.
If he fails to do so, questions about the seriousness of CU’s diversity effort will again linger.
I don’t know nearly enough about the particulars to suggest whether or not there may have been a conspiracy. But the track record of how conservatives have been treated in American public universities suggests CU would be much better off giving Mitchell’s case thorough, careful public treatment than trying to quietly sweep everything under the rug.
Thought you might be interested in an email interchange I had with Bronson Hilliard, the PR person for CU Boulder.
Hi
You were quoted in Vincent Bradshaw’s article about Phil Mitchell that Dr. Mitchell was not reappointed because he did not meet specific criteria on the most recent evaluations by faculty members. To what specific criteria are you referring? Please tell me there are some objective supportable criteria, as opposed to subjective evaluations which can easily be skewed to result in any finding desired. It seems to me these “specific criteria” could be that a few other faculty members wanted to get rid of him because of his conservative views. Please tell me that I am wrong!
Thanks for your time.
Betsy Siewert
Ms. Siewert:
I was rather misquoted in the Camera today. What I said was that he failed to meet the course objectives and criteria outlined by the faculty member who ran the Sewall program, I never said “by faculty members.â€
And I can assure you that Dr. Mitchell’s conservative views and religious faith figured in no way into his non-reappointment as an instructor.
Thank you for your inquiry,
Bronson R. Hilliard
Director of media relations and spokesperson
University of Colorado at Boulder
90 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309
303-735-6183 (Office)
303-818-7496 (Cell)
303-492-3002 (Fax)
Mr Hilliard,
You did not read my email very carefully. I asked if you would be able to tell me to what specific criteria you were referring that Dr. Mitchell failed to meet? I am concerned that they were subjective criteria, as opposed to objective, supportable criteria. Can you be more explicit? Telling me what was not a factor in Dr. Mitchell’s non-reappointment is not answering my question.
Thanks
Betsy Siewert
Ms. Siewert:
I am not at liberty to share with you what those criteria were — suffice to say they were course objectives outlined by the director of the Sewall Hall academic program.
Sincerely,
Bronson R. Hilliard
Director of media relations and spokesperson
University of Colorado at Boulder
90 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309
303-735-6183 (Office)
303-818-7496 (Cell)
303-492-3002 (Fax)
Bronson.hilliard@colorado.edu