The Michigan Daily - Thursday, December 1, 1994 - 5 Who protects theinnocent? 'U' student alleges miscarriage of justice in harassment hearing Continued from Page 1 of this young man by this University is no less than appalling." University lawyers are no less adamant in their defense against the lawsuit, calling it frivolous and groundless in fact and in law. "It's ridiculous from our perspective," said Assistant General Counsel Daniel Sharphorn, who declined further comment. Jerome Hill, a Detroit attorney the University contracted in the Schauber case, also declined comment except to chide Schauber's lawyer for "stirring up public interest" in the case. "I think our position is well-known," Hill said. Broken romance Marc Schauber met his future fiancee while both attended high school in East Hills, N.Y. They were friends, but theirromance blossomed only after the woman graduated and enrolled at the University. Schauber, one year younger than his future fiance, invited her to his senior prom in June 1993. After a brief but intense romance, in August the couple secretly engaged to be married. They had planned to share the news with their parents when they returned to New York over winter break. But then the relationship came unglued. The day after Christmas, the would- be fianc6e called Schauber to tell him that the engagement - and their relationship - were over. The twospoke only once during the remainder of the break. They agreed to meet when both returned to Ann Arbor ,,in January The wo weeks following their return were a time of intense emotion for Schauber and a time of reckoning for the former couple. For the woman, she charges that those days were also a time of unwanted contact, harassment and stalking. Harassment? * On Jan. 5 and again the following day, the two met in her room in Mosher Jordan. The meetings were uncomfortable for the woman, who was trying toputthe relationship behind her even as Schauber pleaded for a reconciliation. "Atonepoint last night,I was scared of you," the woman wrote in an e-mail message to Schauber Jan. 6. "Is that how you want me to come back to you?? Afraid that if I ever do something to you that you'll hit me, orstalkme??" Schauber denies that he ever threatened his ex-fiancde. His lawyer, Tom Daniels of Ypsilanti, said that in all meetings between the two, the woman invited Schauber into herroom. And Schauber broke off all contact with the woman at her request, Daniels said. All interaction between the two zeased on Jan.15, with the exception of a party in March in which the woman alleged that Schauber pushedher to the floor. Daniels said both students were at the party, but no contact occurred. The third and final face-to-face meeting between the former couple, in her room Jan. 10, cemented the allegations of harassment. Schauber later admitted in the judicial hearing that he had told his ex-fiance that he thought of hitting her and throwing her off of a bridge in front of moving traffic. Daniels does not dispute this account, but asserts that simply telling the woman he had thought of hitting her is different from actual harassment. The woman, her parents and the University's hearing officer misconstrued the incident to suit their case, Daniels claims. The woman "reasonably believed her personal safety was threatened as a result of your statements," the hearing officer wrote to Schauber. In meting outpenalties on Schauber, the officer said he repeatedly contacted the woman "when you knew that (she) wanted to avoid contact with you and was uncomfortable being in your presence." 'Kangaroo court' Schauber's lawsuit alleges the University's hearing officerabandoned her role as an impartial judge in his judicial hearing on charges of harassment. As a result, Schauber was denied his constitutional right to due process and unfairly expelled from his dorm, Daniels charges. Attorney Hill, in the University's formal resp6nse to the lawsuit, disputes Schauber's version ofevents. Although the University could have prohibited Schauber from living in any residence hall, it only barred him from Mosher Jordan. That the University only ordered Schauber to move - not to leave University housing altogether - invalidates Schauber's claims that he was deprived of property in violation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Hill wrote. Daniels, however, charges the University with running a "kangaroo court" in direct contradiction to the principle of being presumed innocent until proven guilty. The University Housing Division's hearing officer in the case, Monique Washington, did not even claim to be unbiased, much less conduct a fair hearing, Daniels said. Daniels claims that Washington bent to pressure from the woman's parents, who pushed for Schauber's expulsion from Mosher Jordan in calls tothehearing officer andotherofficials in Housing. Extensive telephone communication between Washington and the ex-fiance's parents before the hearing prejudiced Washington against Schauber, Daniels said. "The ultimate decision was Monique Washington's," he said. "It is our position that she was clearly influenced by this ex parte communication." Daniels said Washington shed any pretense of objectivity when she originally listed herself as the complainant - a role traditionally reserved for the alleged victim - as well as the hearing officer at the Feb.15 LIST O >TELEPHON ECALLS, MADE FROM JANUARY 5 TO MARCH 31, 1994,, TO OFFICES OF U.OF M PERSONNEL FROM MCI BILLING NUMBERS (516) in '& (516)"Owl -T AE,,ROSLYN HEIGHTS, NY 11577-M DAT TJIE TO #/LSTED TO ENT Jan. 17 15:21a 763-2472/ M. Washington 1 min. 10:22a 763-2472 '/ M. Washington 9 ruin. ATE TIME T#/TM. E H Feb. 3 11:05 a 7G44132 jM. L. Antieau 13 min.' Feb. 4 12:2 'p 764-51321 M. L. Antieau 24 min. Feb. 8 12:28 p 764-5132 IM.'L.Antieau 14 min. 12:42 p 764-51321/1 .L. Antietu 16 tin., Feb,9 11:14 a 763-2472 /.M. 'Washington 5 min. 11:44 a 763-2472 f M. Washington , 47 min. Feb. 16 2:24 p 753-2427 I M. W hingtn 1 mif.. Feb. 17 2:41p 763-2472/ M.. Washingtn min- DAE TME TO / LISTED TO 'ENGTU Mar. 4 11:Ota. 763-2472/ M. Waahington 1 min.' 11:23 -a 763-24721M Washington 25 min. Mlar. 7 9:69 a 763.24721/ M. Wasingtn 1 I nn 1 -36 a 76..2472"/ M.'Washing on 2mi.' Mar. $, 9.46 a' 7632472 /M, Washigton 31 min. Mar. 9 1:27 P 763=2472 / M. Washitngtn 3 miri: These phone records document phone calls made by the parents of Marc Schauber's former fiancee to Univeristy Judicial Adviser Mary Lou Antieau and hearing officer Monique Washington. The records were admitted into evidence in the trial of Schauber against the University. be perpetrated upon (the woman) by Marc," the parents wrote. To separate Schauber from his ex- fianc6e, Washington barred him from entering Mosher Jordan and from contacting her in any way. Schauber also was placed on probation. Failed appeals Schauber filed an appeal March 9 of Washington's Feb. 25 decision on three grounds: that the verdict was "clearly not supported by the evidence presented at the hearing," the punishment was inappropriate and the hearing was procedurally flawed. Schauber's appeal was denied. In a written decision dated March 15, appellate hearing officer Archie Andrewscalled Washington's decision "an adequate balance between allowing (Schauber) to remain in the residence halls and lease termination." After Washington's verdict but before filing an appeal, Schaubersigned aleaseforMosherJordan the following year. The lease was invalidated. "In defiance of the determination of the hearing officer, Mr. Schauber took it upon himself to sign the lease for 1994-95 even though he knew the standing decision of February 25,1994 required that he reside in South Quad rather than Mosher Jordan Hall," Hill wrote. "Plaintiff's signing of the 1994- 95 lease was a fraud on the U of M and he should not be permitted to assert, in an appeal to equity, that he is entitled to due process of law when that fraud is voided by the University." In his final appeal through the University, Schauber was allowed to remain in Mosher Jordan through the winter semester of last year. Daniels charges that all appeal hearings were flawed because "the die was cast" with Washington's decision. Schauber now lives in East Quad, where he has refrained from contacting his ex-fiancde since January by his account, and March by hers. The woman still lives in Mosher Jordan. Schauber and Daniels still await a verdict by Wilder. The University, meanwhile, will likely use the case as an impetus to review its judicial procedures, said Housing spokesman Alan Levy. "Regardless of whether we win or lose, we will want to see whether any alterations in our policy will need to be made," Levy said. Daniels disagrees, arguing the policy is sound, but its application - at least in the case of Marc Schauber - was anything but. Case Chronology Jan. 17, 1994 Marc Schauber is told in a meeting with Mosher Jordan Resident Director Paul Danao that his ex-fiancee is not comfortable in Schauber's presence. Danao suggested a meeting with the three parties and would call back Schauber. Schauber called Danao repeatedly and was told that he was "working on it." Jan. 24, 1994 Schauber met with Ellen H. Whitten, the coordinator of residence education, and was shown the incident report and the complaint form that they discussed. Jan. 25, 1994 Whitten sent letter to Schauber saying he was on "residence hall probation." He left a message on the answering machine of Darlene Ray Johnson, assistant director of student relations, asking her to call him back. Jan. 31, 1994 Schauber met with Whitten about her actions which she apologized for "not following proper procedure and for taking a one-sided view of the matter." Schauber was asked to sign the incident report, complaint form and judicial record, but he deferred and wanted a copy of each of them because he wanted to consult on them. Feb. 7, 1994 Schauber was called by Monique Washington, assistant director of residence education. She told him of the harassment complaint and eventually scheduled a hearing on Feb. 15 after telling Schauber that his ex-fiancee was "hesitant" about being at the hearing. Feb. 11, 1994 A letter was received by Schauber stating that Washington would serve as both "hearing officer" and the "complainant" at the hearing. Schauber's lawyer also requested a copy of the complaint but Washington was "unsure if this could be done." Feb. 15, 1994 Minutes before the hearing Schauber was given a copy of the incident reports and the judicial record. There was no complaint, but Schauber was told that the incident record would serve as the complaint. Schauber wanted to get the hearing over with and therefore waived the right to postpone the hearing. Washington told Schauber the woman would receive the final decision only and not information about the sanction. March 3,1994 Schauber finds out that his ex-fiance received the decision, including the sanction information, two days before he did. The decision was that Schauber was to vacate his room by March 7. Schauber made sure that he would not be physically removed on March '7 and "confirmed his absolute right to remain in his room while an appeal was filed and decided." He also signed a lease for a room for '94295 school year which was voided by the Housing Division. March 15, 1994 The initial appeal was officially signed and dated and received by Schauber. He was told to vacate his room no later than March 16. Again he had to confirm that he would not be physically removed because of the appeal was pending. Schauber also heard from Ray Johnson for the first time in which she said he was charged with having some form of contact with his ex-fiancee. Schauber denies these allegations. March 18, 1994 An order for his arrest was still ineffect if he returned to Mosher Jordan because he was in his room past the deadline even though the appeal was still under debate. Schauber explained the situation to the arresting officer and he was not arrested. judicial hearing. The ex-fiancde assumed therole ofcomplainant shortly before the hearing began after having a "change ofheart," Washington testified. In a deposition by Daniels on June 7, Washington said she did not "see myself as the complaining student." "At the time, (the woman) felt that she could not represent her situation in the hearing, and didn't want to serve as a witness," Washington told the court. "So I saw my role - when I use the word complainant - as someone who was really presenting her case on behalf of the Housing Division and the University." Washington also was intentionally or subconsciously presenting the case on behalf of the ex-fianc6e's parents, Daniels alleges. He cites telephone company records that show phone calls as long as 47 minutes between Washington and the woman's parents. Washington testified that the phone calls were intended to explain procedural issues relating to the hearing. But she also admitted that other issues - including Schauber's mental state and possible use of the psychiatric drug Prozac - were broached. Washington testified that she told the woman's mother that she "would be consulting with colleagues within the University appropriate for me to make a determination, and that I would send written notice to Marc, which is the appropriate procedure to follow, and that I would also inform (the woman) in an appropriate fashion of the outcome. "So again, I was trying to bring a reasonable amount ofdistance between the two of us, but at the same time, respond to what I felt was a parental concern as an administrator," Washington said. The woman's parents sent a letter to Washington the day after the hearing in which they expressed concerns about their daughter's safety. "We feel strongly that the University of Michigan has a responsibility to (the daughter) to ensure that she is protected from any injurious action or threat or harassment by Mr. Schauber ongoing. 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