Introduction: Last week, Central Michigan University scheduled and subsequently postponed the third disciplinary hearing against Dennis Lennox. Lennox was cited for passing out literature in an area that was off limits, inside a university building, and for not identifying himself to an administration official. This is the third hearing that was postponed. Lennox turned rival of his own administration when he started tracking and orchestrating a media campaign against Gary Peters, the new Griffin Chair at CMU. Peters was a controversial hire because he is simultaneously running for U.S. Congress in a district hundreds of miles away. While Peters continues teaching, the story has now largely revolved around the confrontation between Lennox and his administration...
It is spring break at Central Michigan University, however Students Against Gary Peters believe that the administration will use this exact opportunity to hold the disciplinary hearing against Dennis Lennox in private. Here is a copy of the email I got. (Please note Dennis himself is the leader of the group)
Spring break at Central Michigan University hasn't stopped attempts by some faculty and administrators to shield professor-turned-Democratic congressional candidate Gary Peters from scrutiny with threats and petty intimidation.
Assistant Dean of Students Anthony Voisin will proceed with a secret, closed-door disciplinary hearing that could expel Students Against Gary Peters spokesman Dennis Lennox for his opposition to Peters sacrificing the education of CMU students by running for Congress.
The school's previous attempts to hold the hearing have violated the state Open Meetings Act. While a date hasn't been set, a tribunal could be convened over spring break and the student won't be notified until afterwards, CMU says.
The length some administrators and faculty have gone to protect Peters from legitimate scrutiny is unbelievable. They are using tax dollars to try and destroy a student's academic and professional future. As Lennox wonders if he will be a student after spring break, faculty who maliciously libeled him with absurd allegations that he is mentally ill and "Virginia Tech dangerous" because of his "noxious (conservative) political and social beliefs" are still teaching without repercussions.
Besides violating the trust of taxpayers with the questionable hiring of Peters, some of the school's faculty and administrators have repeatedly thumbed their nose at the law.
They've infringed on free speech with bogus student code charges after The Peters Report student newsletter was distributed on campus alongside the Central Michigan Life student newspaper and Unendorsed alternative newspaper.
Videotaping was banned when embarrassing incidents involving Peters and his boss, Dean Pamela Gates, hit the internet -- attracting more than 400,000 viewers in a 48-hour period on YouTube.com.
And now they're holding secret hearings without affording students their basic constitutional rights -- due process, the right to confront your accusers and the right to have a public tribunal.Many have complained about the length some at CMU have gone to protect Peters -- resulting in hundreds of complaints via telephone and e-mail over recent weeks.
It's time people start asking questions and demanding answers. CMU needs to stop protecting Peters -- its attempts to stifle public scrutiny on campus is embarrassing and has tarnished the school's reputation.
Here is a list of the administration at CMU. Please feel free, respectively, to make your opinion heard...
CMU President Michael Rao, mailto:president@cmich.eduand (989) 774-3131* Assistant Dean of Students Anthony Voisin anthony.a.voisin@cmich.edu and (989) 774-3016 * Board of Trustees Chairman Jeffrey Caponigro (R), capon1jr@cmich.edu and (248) 355-3200* Board of Trustees member Stephanie Comai (R), comai1s@cmich.edu and (734) 761-6915* Board of Trustees member John Kulhavi (R), kulha1jg@cmich.edu and (248) 737-6222* Board of Trustees member Gail Torreano (R), torre1gf@cmich.edu and (313) 223-7171
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2 comments:
Your post states; "a tribunal could be convened over spring break and the student won't be notified until afterwards, CMU says".
Given their desire for secrecy, what they say now is less important right NOW than a) what they actually do now, and b)what they are required to do now by the Open Meetings Act.
I suggest Mr. Lennox KNOW what the law requires, not what they may or may not be saying now. What they are saying now could be deception to lull him into not watching for a notice of hearing, and not preparing for the hearing.
The law is unfortunately frankly irrelevant at this point. The admin is not following the law, they are following their own student code of conduct. Even there, that is debateable because nowhere does it state that this hearing could be held without him being invited.
Lennox is watching this very carefully, however the administration may railroad him such that they will stop over him regardless.
The admin is determined to hold the meeting and determined to do it without him being there. That means there is little he can do besides whipping up media attention at this point.
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