KAU FFM AN sors, and should not be considered
Kaufman's property. But one of those
Continued from Page 1 professors, Joe Eisley, told the Daily he
"It would have been a lot easier for did not write the memo. He said he and
me if someone before me had fought his colleagues simply helped critique it
it.... I am not the only one," he said. and made minor changes, if any. He
"The University has intimidated proba- added that his,
bly hundreds." name was only on
Another settlement conference has the proposal
been scheduled for late October, because of his
Kauffman said. expertise in design. t
When the lawsuit began in 2000, "It differs in 1
Kauffman had been working at the Uni- detail and speci-I
versity for 23 years and had been a ficity, it differs in -
tenured professor for five. He was well- its scope and it °j
liked by many of his students and even differs in the
known in the department for being more fundamental objec-
focused on teaching than research. tives. Friedmann's Hyland
Hyland had become the department write-up was a
chair four years earlier. comprehensive
"In general, they have very different description of what
personalities, Professor Kauffman was the FXB Center
always willing to help us find jobs, to would do, how it
provide career advice or to call a friend would be done,
of his in the industry for us," University with a realistic
alum Aaron Mendenhall said. "Like budget and sched-
Kauffman, [Hyland] is very knowledge- ule, while the four-
able and incredibly intelligent. From my author memo was
experience he leans more to the research a three-page, vague Kauffman
side than he does the classroom." sketch with no
According to Hyland, the two experi- specifics," Hyland said. "In Friedmann's
enced conflicting interests ever since he plan, the main purpose of the FXB Cen-
took over as department chair. They ter was to advance the research capabili-
argued over teaching methods, the use ties of the department by adding
of technology in the classroom and the research projects to the center - proj-
lack of research grant proposals Kauff- ects funded by recognized research
man was submitting. agencies. The four-author memo only
The conflicts came to a head in 1998 involves getting outside experts to visit
when Kauffman accused Hyland of and speak to students and faculty. It has
using his curriculum proposal - which no research component whatsoever."
was first written in 1993 and resubmit- Friedmann declined to speak with the
ted in 1996 - Daily for this
for his own ben- "In the long run, it is not article.
efit and without Instead of
Kauffman's per- my reputation that is going going through
mission. Kauff- to sufer. It is the reputationvthe normal Un-
man said he t versity chaels
believes his idea of the University." and submitting a
was used when - David Hyland complaint to a
the FXB Center Aerospace Engineering Department Chair grievance com-
fr Rotary and mittee, Kauff-
Fixed Wing Air man went to
Vehicle Design was initiated. then-University Provost Nancy Cantor
At the time, the aerospace engineer- and, after feeling as though his concerns
ing department did not have a program were being ignored, eventually decided
where guest speakers or lecturers were to sue.
brought to the University for significant He said the decision to sue instead
periods of time, a curriculum practiced of going through proper grievance
at several other universities. Kauffman procedure was based on his belief
said he wrote his proposal because he that the University's grievance pro-
felt University students would benefit cedure is not properly followed and
from the additional expertise, and mistreats faculty members who sub-
because he felt he knew of a way to mit the complaints.
make such a program plausible here. After filing suit against Hyland and
"Because of the end of the Cold the University, Kauffman said he
War, a unique opportunity exists at believes he was retaliated against.
this time to enhance significantly the Among other allegations, Kauffman
training of engineering students," claims the University lowered his
Kauffman wrote in his proposal. "The annual salary raise by a substantial
science, engineering, and technology proportion and purposefully denied
community in Russia is significantly him sick leave after doctors diagnosed
underemployed. Many individual him with diabetes, which he believed
designers who participated in the to be stress-induced.
design of vehicles and systems Hyland said the sick leave Kauff-
involving leading-edge technology man was asking for was inappropriate
are currently seeking employment and for the given illness and that the pay
they are willing to accept relatively raises were lowered based on student
modest but fair compensation." and faculty evaluations and the alleged
But Hyland claims the idea the Uni- lack of research being performed by
versity used to start the department's the professor.
design center was not Kauffman's, but "He has had no research grants in
rather the work of University professor over a decade," Hyland said.
Peretz Friedmann. But Kauffman said his performance
Hyland also said Kauffman's idea was did not warrant a negative change in his
not an official proposal. According to annual pay raise. "The first thing the
Hyland, it was written only as a memo University does is attack you asa person
and with the aid of three other profes- - saying you are crazy and a lousy pro-
NEWS
fessor," he said.
Several aerospace engineering stu-
dents said they believe Kauffman's
teaching performance and style to be
above and beyond their expectations.
"I found him extremely able to pro-
vide practical engineering knowledge
and useful insight into the 'right' way
to approach real engineering prob-
lems," University alum Dan Berken-
stock said. "He helps represent a very
important point of view in education,
that engineering students should learn
how things are actually engineered in
the real world."
Other professors said they have also
been retaliated against as a result of fil-
ing similar lawsuits.
"My teaching evaluations were very
high until I had problems with the
administration, and then they became
low," said one University professor
who openly disagreed with an admin-
istrative decision. He spoke to the
Daily on condition of anonymity
because he fears future retaliation.
"The University decided to be very
harsh on me because certain members
of the faculty supported promotion of
another member who I did not feel
should be promoted, and I went public
with it. The University did not like that I
went outside their channels," he said.
Several students told the Daily they
believe the argument has negatively
affected their education and the depart-
ment itself.
"The division caused by the current
situation hurts students," University
alum Brian Kahl said.
"It seems that two professionals, and
particularly the chair of a highly
respected engineering department,
should be able to handle the situation
more diplomatically without negative-
ly impacting the rest of the depart-
ment," Mendenhall said.
Both Hyland - who was dismissed
as an individual defendant May 14 but
could still face separate retaliation
charges - and Kauffman agree that
they would like to bring the argument
to a close.
"It is not fun being dragged through
the gutter and called all sorts of names,"
said Hyland, who will leave the Univer-
sity Sept. I to be Associate Vice Chan-
cellor of the Texas University System.
"In the long run, it is not my reputation
that is going to suffer. It is the reputation
of the University."
But Kauffman said he believes that if
the University mends its ways, its repu-
tation will eventually improve.
"I want them to quit misbehaving,"
Kauffman said.
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The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 28, 2003 - 3
President Bush greets the crowd after speaking on jobs and economic growth at
the Beaver Aerospace and Defense Center in Livonia on Thursday.
Bus/ defends record on
economy, employment rates
cent and the current 7.2 percent is the
highest in the decade," they said. "His
Continued from Page 1 record on job growth is the worst for any
ing the economy relies on boosting President since Herbert Hoover oversaw
America's consumer confidence, which the Great Depression."
was hampered by international terrorism But Bush offered up his own explana-
as well as corporate scandal. tion for the national deficit. "Now, I
"Nevin Groce is with us. He's from know you've heard talk about the deficit
Grand Rapids. He owns L & G Indus- in Washington, D.C. Yeah, we've got a
trial Products. He said, times are a lit- deficit. We've got a deficit for a couple
tle slow. But all of a sudden, he's of reasons. The main reason is, is that
beginning to see action being taken when you're in a recession, less money
and he sees a better future for his is coming intothe Treasury,"he said.
company. He's going to save $20,000 "My main focus is making sure our
under the 2003 tax relief act," he said. citizens can find a job, and I believe it's
"He says that what he's thinking going to happen. See, I believe in the
about doing is buying a large industri- future of the country in all aspects
al saw. In other words, here's a guy because I know the character of our peo-
whose business isn't quite the way he ple. This country has been-through
wants it to be, but he's getting opti- emergencies and scandals and war and
mistic because he's got a little more recession, and we have responded. We're
money in his pocket," he added. a strong country, because we're full of
But the Michigan Democratic party strong people," Bush added.
said in a written statement they feel "This country of ours has faced
Bush's economic policies are reckless many challenges over the last couple
and harmful. of years, and I believe those chal-
"Under Bush, Michigan's unemploy- lenges have brought out the best in
ment rate has risen a shocking 60 per- America," he said.