Attacks against Dr. Michael D'Andrea at the University of Hawaii and request for support
Michael D'Andrea
Aloha Everyone:
I want to give a brief update on a situation that is occurring to me presently as well as a situation that was similar but resolved for Dr. Judy Daniels in October 2006.
On March 2, 2007 I was banished from the University of Hawaii campus and re-assigned to work at home pending investigations of complaints that I have acted in intimidating and threatening ways with faculty members and administrators at the University. These false and distorted allegations are being addressed by my legal representatives, the ACLU, and the faculty union at the University of Hawaii. Since I have asserted that all of these allegations are indeed not true and distortions of actual interactions I have had with a number of people at the University, it will be up to the University administrators to demonstrate proof of their vicious attacks against myself.
As time will tell and the court proceedings and union grievances unfold, the real issue underlying the vicious and unconstitutional attacks against myself will become apparent. That being the long history I have in confronting various forms of injustices that are perpetuated at the University of Hawaii and the efforts of the Administration to silence my social justice advocacy. This includes my long term advocacy to eradicate the various forms of institutional racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, and classism that are manifested at the University of Hawaii as well as publicly protesting the UH President's on-going support for a military-funded research center at our university (called the University Affiliated Research Center [UARC]) that would result in the increased militarization of the University of Hawaii.
Many of you know my colleague and life partner, Dr. Judy Daniels. Judy came under similar attacks from 2005-2006 and agreed to a settlement proposed by the University in which she received a $25, 000.00 for damages to her reputation in October 2006 I am attaching an article that describes Judy's settlement as well as a link to a national organization called, Inside Higher Education, that provides more details regarding my case. http://www.insidehighereducation.com/news/2007/04/16/hawaii
The attacks have now shifted to myself. Fortunately, I won an initial court hearing last week that focused on the University Administration's violation of my First (free speech) and Fourteenth (due process) Amendment Rights. This is the first in what I expect to be a number of positive court and union grievance hearings that will result in my total vindication. Fortunately, I have received support from the students in our counseling department (they have organized various types of protest in my support), the ACLU, and the American Association for University Professors (AAUP).
Lastly, I am including a letter that colleagues and community activists have put together in support of my case in Hawaii (see below). Dr. Beverly Keever, a professor at UH, has helped to organize this effort and has asked me to invite any one who wished to "sign on" to this statement to do so by contacting her (Dr. Keever's email address is included with this memo). If you are so inclined I ask that you let Dr. Keever know asap that you are interested in having your name and position listed among the other individuals and groups that support this statement.
I will keep you updated on this situation as it has national implications for faculty members across the United States who are increasingly coming under attack for their own advocacy for justice and peace during a time when dissent is not viewed in positive terms by many persons in power positions.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for considering signing on to the statement presented below.
In the continuing struggle for justice and peace,
Michael D'Andrea
Professor
Department of Counselor Education
University of Hawaii
Support A Peace and Social Justice Professor at the University of Hawaii
Amdist celebrating its Centennial and charging students its most expensive tuition in history, the University of Hawaii has blundered by illegally barring a peace-activist professor from his students, his classroom and the Manoa campus.
The illegality of the University's action against Professor Michael D'Andrea is highlighted by the fact that he was not provided with the specific reasons for his forced removal from campus on March 2, 2007 nor was he provided a hearing that would substantiate the reason for the undertaking of such serious action.
In doing so, UH has stifled the free exchange of ideas that is the heart of the educational mission of the state's only institution of higher learning and unleashed a chilling effect to stamp out dissent on campus during these tumultuous times.
Nor is UH alone. It is part of a snuffing-out-dissent campaign on campuses across the country.
Faced with losing a legal suit on constitutional issues on April 16, UH volunteered in U.S.District Court to lift its 45-day order exiling Professor D'Andrea from his students, colleagues and the campus where he has taught for 18 years. He has produced hundreds of academic and professional publications and presentations on social justice and peace issues related to counselor education which he teaches in the College of Education.
Over the past 18 years, Professor D'Andrea has vigorously prodded UH to correct what he calls institutional racism, sexism and discrimination against the disabled and to abandon its proposed establishment of a Navy University Affiliated Research Center that adds to the increasing militarization of Hawaii. But rather than cleaning up its mess and reversing its move toward militarization, UH has sought to silence the messenger by criticizing how he delivers his message and banishing him from campus without providing a formal hearing allowing D'Andrea to defend himself against the general accusations made by the University administration.
D'Andrea has filed numerous complaints about administrative mismanagement at UH, some of which have were given no hearing and others that were ruled in his favor. UH administrators and others have consistently refused to meet with Professor D'Andrea and a third-party person to informally resolve his concerns about a broad range of social justice and related issues.
D'Andrea's complaints allege
- the failure of administrators or their agents to follow established Board of Regents policies and numerous union/BOR Contract articles,
- concerns over possible violation of state statutes related to discrimination and retaliation for filing such complaints,
- unwilllingness of the chair of his department and other faculty members to follow departmental handbook policies and practices,
* the creation of a hostile work environment by numerous UH administrators and faculty members for D'Andrea, and
* the failure of the administration to report on three workplace violence policy violations that Professor D'Andrea filed against three UH employees in October 2005.
D'Andrea states in court documents that he believes his exile from campus and students was in retaliation for his persistent pursuit of his criticisms of UH and his advocacy for peace and social justice.
Even though the prior restraint on D'Andrea's speech and association is partially lifted, UH's bumbling initiation of it in the first place has sent a chilling effect on other speakers' voicing uninhibited and vigorous discussion of ideas. The chilling effect of the UH administration's attack on Professor D'Andrea without allowing him the opportunity to defend himself against the administration's false allegations results in his being "assumed guilty until he proves his innocence" undermines meaningful discourse, education, and learning that UH students are paying record amounts to receive at the University of Hawaii..
UH is also paying legal fees to expensive downtown lawyers in defending its inappropriate and illegal action against Professor D'Andrea. UH has already agreed to pay for D'Andrea's lawyers fees in the first victory he has achieved in his legal case.
Instead of funding a strategy that is designed to undermine faculty members and students' free speech rights, UH would be better advised to use these monies to add more instructors to the classroom and improve the quality of life, services, counseling and advising for students.
Instead of adding another layer of bureaucracy that would be required to establish a Navy University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) at our university, UH would be better advised to abandon such a proposal. Rather than moving toward increasing the militarization of UH and squashing the free speech of an activist academic messenger, UH would be better advised to address the seeds of discontent contained in D'Andrea's messages. Doing so would be a more fitting way to celebrate the Centennial of UH and its core mission of creating, disseminating and protecting knowledge.
Signed:
E Foster Heckman
Here is Bev Keever's e-mail for those of you who wish to sign the
letter in support of Dr. Michael D'Andrea:
"Bev Keever" <bke...@hawaii.rr.com>
Hope all is well with you.
Aloha, E
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Elizabeth Foster Heckman,
Graduate Student
Department of Counselor Education
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Everly Hall
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Students Advocating for Greater Empowerment (SAGE):
http://www.sagemanoa.org
SAGE...@gmail.com
Be the change you want to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi
May all beings be safe and free from anger, fear, greed, dilution and
all ill being. ~Buddhist Peace Delegation
http://www.bpf.org/html/home.html
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Michael D'Andrea
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Michael D'Andrea
University of Hawaii