1e Mt tn u Ij Eighty-four years of editorial freedom Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Tuesday, February 18, 1915 News Phone: 764-0552 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104 University abandons ethics Cobb Chron \ 7 y / /fC jewel Cobb THE SELECTION AND rejection of Jewel Cobb for the literary college (LSA) deanship violently shook the University community's perception of its leaders. Officially, honest men and women were calmly carrying out the well- ordered stages of a top-level selection process. But the true story-the un- official version-suggested that when it came time for the crucial deanship decisions to be made, the administra- tion retreated nervously into a sound- proof, smoke-filled room and checked its moral responsibilities at the door. The administration approached its governing Board of Regents with an expressed preference for Acting Dean Billy Frye. Without casting aspersions on Frye's unquestioned and impres- sive abilities, we have seen that the Regents' unanimous endorsement of Cobb, a brilliant black administrator and academician from Connecticut, jolted both President Robben Fleming and his academic affairs vice presi- dent, Frank Rhodes. THE MANNER IN WHICH the two men carried out the Regental offer was at best severely lacking in enthusiasm. At worst, it constituted an outright attempt to subvert the board's wish and prevent Cobb from becoming dean. Cobb, not surprisingly, turned down the administrators' offer of two years without a guarantee of tenured pro- fessorship. While it is not clear whether she broached the topic, Cobb's tenure suddenly became the keystone issue in her contract. Rhodes asked a quick decision on that issue and 36 hours later, the Zoology Department's executive committee emerged from secret sessions with a unanimous vote against tenure for Cobb, a cell biologist. Since then, the University has used the tenure denial as its full rationale for flatly rejecting Cobb's candidacy in the last week of January. But here the bureaucracy demonstrates a re- markable ability to absolve itself by, speaking out of both sides of its mouth: During that same week, Frank Rhodes calmly informed out- raged members of the Women's Com- mission that deanship offers without tenure guarantees are perfectly stan- dard practice. IN FACT, STANDARD practice has been demonstrated to include dean- Editorial positions represent consensus of the Daily staff. ship offers with tenure to be deter- mined at a much later date. But in the Cobb decision, Rhodes forced the issue by approaching the Zoology Department immediately. Standard practice fluctuated just enough to prevent one highly qualified candi- date from becoming dean. But that candidate was black and female. Perhaps Fleming and Rhodes underestimated the ability of minori- ties and women to respond to abuse; perhaps the highest officers assumed they could systematically block the Cobb appointment in a vacuum of secrecy. Neither was a valid assumption: A number of high-level officials, ex- pressing concern that unethical ac- tions were in progress, provided The Daily and the campus with a jarring close-up view of the Cobb decisions. And from a score of women's and minority organizations came a unified cry of outrage and disgust that the University could insult a black woman with a self-destructing contract offer. AS ONE FACULTY member has aptly suggested, the actions of Fleming and Rhodes indicate a willingnes to go halfway-to consider giving a high post to a black woman, but to stop short of actually giving her serious consideration. The two men appear to have decided that the importance of naming Cobb was out-distanced b the problems she might confront due to bigotry and favoritism for Frye. Thus we are forced to conclude that racism and sexism, however subtle or unconscious, played a key role in Cobb's rejection. The deanship uproar has demon- strated an urgent need for the Uni- versity to come to grips with several crucial problems. The administration must no longer view regental deci- sions as flexible quantities that may be bent to suit the wishes of the president and vice president. Major actions by the University must no longer be formulated beneath a cover of official silence. Finally, the concept of affirmative action as a route to racial and sexual equality must no longer play second fiddle to a few officials' ideas of what is right for the University. Sports Staff BRIAN DEMINO Sports Editor MARCIA MERKER Executive Sports Editor LEBA HERTZ Managing Sports Editor oflogy: March 74 - Geology prof. Frank Rhodes vacates literary college (LSA) deanship to be- come University's vice - presi- dent for academic affairs. April 74 - Student - faculty search committee is formed and charged with finding the best candidate for the deanship. They operate under the assump- tion that any of the final nomi- ness will receive tenure in a department. July 1974 - Zoology prof. Billy Frye, an associate dean who w o r k e d closely with Rhodes, becomes acting LSA dean and steadily gains facul- ty support. November 1974 - Two Dem- ocrats, Thomas Reach and Sar- ah Power, elected to Board of Regents, giving Democrats a 6-2 majority. December 1974 - S e a r c h committee presents its three equally ranked final candidates to the Administration in strict secrecy. They are: Frye, Con- necticut College dean Jewel Cobb, and Cornell University ombudsman and political sci- ence prof. David Danelski. January 18 - Daily learns Regents have unanimously se- lected Cobb for the deanship after rejecting Frye by a 3-5 vote with two Republicans and one Democrat initially favoring the Administration's preference for Frye. .January 20-Regents meet in Lansing with Fleming and Uni- versity president Robben Flem- ing, to discuss the faculty's op- position to Regents' choice of Cobb. They decide to offer her two years and authorize Rhodes toscall Cobb and open negotiations, January 21 - Rhodes calls Cobb and without making a firm offer says he can give her two years. Tenure discussed, but unclear which side initiated issue. Cobb says she will have to think about two-year term. Ti::"i:::'.. .: :.:,:i.:::. :..::::.. :7:".' "::':":^:"::'iJ::": ::".:"."i:.:"::.. :.::: J::. ::::::: .:.::..:.' :t:::::. .1' "J::.: i J.'tt:"iJ-........ "We are shocked. They are treating af- firmative action as if it didn't exist." -Eunice Burns Chairwoman of the Commission for Women Candor lost ..w 2'.,.. ., r .. . . ..v:" s.itrs:"' i= ri{: ...i}'":2{":msm .. e. Power, duties: LSA deanship By DEBRA HURWITZ M1OST DECISIONS having to do with the 16,000 students and 1,000 faculty membrs in the Literary College (LSA) pass at one point or another through the office of LSA Dean. The dean is the administrative head of the college, char- acterized by former Associate Dean Charles Witke as "a complex, highly articulated and developed set of interlocking elements." To be sure, authority is delegated and the dean relies, often heavily, on his various sources of information. Nevertheless, littlte, if anything, is mere "rubber stamping." The dean is responsible for translating the reams of in- formation which reach his office into viable decisions which reflect the College's intellectual context. Ideally, the dean is a sort of "administrative fireman," enough aware of the complexities of a large college to remain in control of any situation, regardless of its particular nature. Associate Deans, a support staff, the College's Executive Committee, and Department Chairmen provide the detailed information necessary to the decision-making process. These sources gather, evaluate, and relay information pertaining, for example, to the Student Counseling Office, the Curri- culum Committee, and the Admissions Office, as well as the Program Evaluation Committee and the LSA Student Gov- ernment. FORMER ASSISTANT to the Dean Ned Dougherty sees the Dean's role as follows. First, this administrator must have a commitment to, and an understanding of, liberal arts education in order to facilitate frequent re-evaluation of its patterns and meanings. Further, the Dean is in charge of developing innovative curricula and ensuring a constant idea flow from the faculty. Finally, the Dean handles matters of financial concerns such as funding, and budget allocation. Acting LSA Dean Billy Frye envisions his job as that of "facilitator." He feels the Dean should be attuned to ideas which spring up in the "grass roots," among students and faculty. New programs, faculty recruitment, graduation require- ments, and other such strictly academic issues do not begin to describe the job's boundaries; office services, physi- cal plant concerns, budget planning and analysis, and many other non-academic matters also come under the dean's jurisdiction. It is essential that the dean command the academic re- spect of the faculty so as to deal effectively with them on a day-to-day basis. The dean, also deals with problems outside his or her own particular field, and strives to make decisions in the proper educational perspective. In order to handle the deanship effectively, the dean must be a person of constant energy and awareness, a highly motivated and diligent educator with a' strong committment to administrative duties as well as to the academic goals of the University community. for tenure if she were to ac- cept administrative appoint- ment. He requests an early re- ply. January 24 - Zoology depart- ment chairmen Carl Gans re- ports to Fleming and Rhodes that the Executive Committee unanimously refused Cobb ten- ure. No public statement is made. Cobb calls Fleming to request five year term after learning LSA deans have al- ways received five year ap- pointments. Fleming indicates that would be possible and tells Cobb she has been refused ten- ure. Cobb calls for a special Regents meeting to see if they can grant her tenure. January 24 - Rhodes says Regents ranked candidates but did notamake selection. January 26 - In a six hour meeting with Rhodes and Flem- ing the Regents agree to offer Cobb a five year appointment. However, after long debate they decide not to interfere with academic perogatives on the tenure issue. Administration "This is a personal af- fx. front to every respon- sible minority person. It's not like they (Ad- ministrationw) e r e dealing with Mickey Mous e or Donald Duck. This could have been another first for the University to move forward in affirmative action with quality." -George Goodman Opportunity Program Director nority Commission, Affirmative Action, and Black Faculty and Staff Association members who demand official information on the growing deanship crisis. About 200 concerned members from above groups and several high Administrative officials protest Administration's origi- nal two year, no tenure offer at Regents' Plaza. February 1 - Administration admits Cobb was selected by Regents but adds that mutual- ly acceptable terms could not be reached. Without giving spe- cifics University declares its readiness to publicly support its action with regards to af- firmative action if necessary. February 3 - At regular monthly LSA faculty meeting Fleming reads an official state- ment that says Regents decided to discontinue negotiations whei the tenure issue could not be resolved in "mutually satisfac- tory terms." He does not men- tion Cobb by name and refuses to answer specific questions on the tenure decision or to com- ment on reports that Adminis- tration rejected Cobb finally. Contradicting Rhodes' earlier statement that non - tenured deanshipswere, not uncommon Fleming says, "You'll find no college in which there is a dean without a tenured profes- sorship in that college." In an earlier press release, retracted by Administration before re- lease, Administration gives a more detailed breakdown of Cobb's rejection, including zoology department's refusal to grant her tenure. February 5 - Sources close to Cobb confirm she had been willing to accept second non- tenured offer, but that Flem- ing refused to hire her on those terms. February 10 - The Daily learns that the Ci--il Rights Di- vision of the Health Education and Welfare Department has requested written account of Cobb crisis from University. Cobb indicates privately she would like Regents to begin full, independent investigation of deanship selection process. February 11 - Regent James Waters (D-Muskegon) call for Regental investigation of dean- ship controversy. Fleming con- firms HEW probe. Search com- mittee meets with Rhodes and Fleming to discuss issue in strict confidentiality. Fleming denies having made any formal decision on deanship on local radio talk show, but expects a decision within a couple weeks. High administra- tive officials who had earlier promised a decision by the end of the week admit they are not aware of the Administration's plans and have little informa- tion on deanship. January 23 - According to of- ficial statement, Rhodes writes to Zoology Department, asking whether Cobb would be eligible tells Regents that a non-tenure dean would be "unbearable." At least two Regents are will- ing to offer Cobb five-year, no- tenure appointment, leaving final decision up to her, but next step is left to Administra- tion. January 28 - Fleming calls Cobb, tells her she cannot ac- cept a non-tenure post. She says she will take it, but Fleming refuses to continue negotiations. January 31 - Rhodes meets with Women's Commission, Mi- Cobb controversy cloaked in secrecy' Letters: Faculty on Cobb By JUDY RUSKIN FROM THE VERY start of the strange events surround- ing theiselection of a new liter- ary college (LSA) dean, the University's administration has failed to deal openly and honest- ly with the various problems and questions arising from the appointment process. As the story of the aborted appoint- ment of Connecticut College Dean Jewel Cobb unfolded, the members of the administration hid behind a cloak of secrecy, refusing to discuss the matter at all. For almost a week, from Jan- uary 18 to the 24th, President Robben Fleming and Vice Pre- sident Frank Rhodes refused to answer The Daily's stories on the Regent's unanimous decision to name Cobb as dean. The pair refused comment on every as- pect of the decision, refusing even to acknowledge that the Regents discussed the deanship at all. THROUGHOUT the week, Fleming and Rhodes would nei- ther confirm nor deny any part of the Cobb story, despite re- peated requests from D a iily reporters for statements on the developing. situation. It was not until the end of the week, January 24, th.it Rhodes released a statement - to the Ann Arbor News. The News, which until this point had not nrinted a single story on the gents made a final choice - not a ranking decision - at the January meeting. The administration ~reated an atmosphere of secrecy and fear that soon spread to other parts of the University. M st Daily sources refused to speak on the record. One high University 1f- ficial did comment on the Cobb controversy for attribution, only to call the Daily back A sew minutes later and retract his statement. AT THE special Regents meeting Sunday, January 26, the board discussed the admin'- istration's offer to Cobb and the Zoology Department's de- cision on tenure, but the cut- come of the meeting was a closely guarded se,;ret. The board went so far as to pass a unanimous oath not to di- vulge details of the meeting t, the press. As University community put- rage grew over the handling of the deanship selection, Rhodes met with members of the Wo- men's Commission and the Com- mittee on Minorities to dLscuss the situation. Acwo-ding to members of both groups, Rhod- es said he would "tell all" if those present would keep it strictly confidential. When they refused to do so, Rhodes, in turn, said nothing new. During that meeting !Rhode press release acknowledged that Jewel Cobb had indeed been considered for the deanship post but satisfactory contract terms concerning tenure could not be reached. The key to the tenure decision lay with the zoology depart- ment. But the reaoning behnd the department's failure to grant Cobb tenure was, accord- ing to one source "the b e s t kept secret they've e ver had." Department Chairmani C a r I Gans refused to comment on the decision, and w lea pressed on the subject, slammed t h e door in the face of a Daily re- porter. Faculty members within the department refused to talk to one another. When one zool- ogy professor approa,%ed a col- league who had been in on the no-tenure decision, the latter re- plied he couldn't disriss it, not even to another department member. THE FINAL University sta'e-, ment on the entire controversy was released February 3. And,' like all the others, it was shrouded in mystery. Early that morning the administration sent out a detailed acc cat of the Cobb case - complete with names and dates. But, later or., the entire statement was re- tracted. A last minute personal plea from Fleming prevented the release from appoaring in the Ann Arbor News.. "4:'r' #": : . ; : " : A. . . . .: "In view of some pub- lic comments I should perhaps explain that it; is not unusual for You'll find no collegea those appointed to the in which there is a; University administra- dean without a tenured tive positions from professorship in t ha i outside institutions to college. This is the ac- accept these appoint- cepted course of ac- ments without having tion.' simultaneous offers of -lens ing tenured faculty ap-' pointments." , -Rhodes4 ed that the Universiry wifl de- tions.T To The Daily: confidentiality was breach::d. ice. People familiar with this AS CHAIRMAN of the Dean- ; emotion know its subtle power, ship Advisory Committee, I Let me say, finally, that the its ability to hide, to rational- have naturally been troubled at University administra.i-n acted ize, to disemble, and its isid- recent developments. Hoping to properly throughout o-_w 1 o n g ious penchant for self-deception. clarify matters, I'd like to of- deliberations. And I have seen Prejudicial feelings can on oc- fer my original understanding no evidence that the admiaitra- casion completely dominate an of the Advisory Committee's tion has proceeded other than individual and render the rea- mandate. honorably and ethically since son of the erudite professor Bmad n aour committee was dissolved. 3 completely ineffective. By advertising and solicita- -Arthur Burks In the case of tenure f o r tion, our committee was to pre- Prof. of Computer and Jewel Cobb, there were at least pare a long list' of possible can- Communication Sciences three reasons why the zoology didates. We began this 1 a s t and Philosophy department might not have been April, obtaining about 140 nam- February 17 able to render a decision that es. Next, we were to gatherI was based on the abilities of the relevant information and pro- To The Daily: individual: her race, her sex, duce a subset of the 10 :o 12 IN ITS DEALINGS with wo- and the fact that a rival can- top contenders. men and minorities, the Univer- didate was himself a member Our final task was to conduct sity of Michigan has frequently of the same zoology depart- a more extensive investigation made decisions against an in- ment. of these candidates, including dividual. In some cases, the The University administration interviews as desired. T n i s decision has been justified on has maintained that it cannot phase was to terminate in a list the basis of an argument that take exception to departmental of from 3 to 6 candidates, each appears to have some merit, decisions regarding personnel of whom would be acceptable but which is, in fact, specious. because it lacks the exper'ise to the committee as a whole. The most recent example of to make such decisions. It such a case was the deanship maintains that only the de- THE COMMITTEE was not to offer made to Dr. Jewel Cobb. partment has the. special know- rank the names on this final It is worthwhile to consider this ledge that is needed, list. Individual members of the specific case, since it offers a An administrative official can committee, however, were free concrete example of how the inform himself of the comper- to rank the candidates and to public has been offered a justi- ence and reputation of an in- express their opinions of each fication for action that is based dividual by appealing to the ex- one both pro and con. This was on a fallacy. pertise that is readily avaijable done at a meeting with Presi- The academic department on numerous campuses and>'or dent Fleming and Vice Presi- plays a pivotal role in these in professional organizations. dent Rhodes on De:ember 12, questions. These autonomous A REASONABLE procedure after which the committee was groups within the university ore would be to appeal to outside discharged. given almost complete freedom'professional opinions in t h o s e But the process of iquiry was with regard to decisions such as cases where there is a clear not meant to stop there. It was hiring. tenure, or firing of un-. ,:- s- :f:., -