Complaints Of Bias Still Rack WSU Despite Efforts, University Faces 19 Complaints Of Sex, Race, Age Or Disability Discrimination

Two years ago, Washington State University student Jason Probst ran for class president with a flier that featured a photo of WSU’s president and the slogan, “Sam ‘Diversity’ Smith - Not just another pudgy white guy.”

It was the joke of a fringe candidate, ribbing Smith for what Probst called a “dubious commitment” to racial diversity, “a lot of window dressing, a lot of lip service.”

The joke is getting old.

While Smith maintains he is fighting to improve the campus climate for women and minorities, he acknowledges that the way the school handles discrimination “is not working the way we would like it to work.”

In fact, he is besieged by faculty and staff members crying foul.

The university faces at least 19 complaints of discrimination based on sex, race, age or disability.

Dismayed with a complaint process they say favors the university’s connected and powerful, the complainants are going to the state Human Rights Commission, state and federal courts and two federal watchdogs - the Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

They complain of abusive managers who derail careers. They talk of disenchanted employees who “simply go to work each day and bite their tongues” because they think complaining about discrimination does no good.

They describe a climate of fear at odds with the academic ideals of free debate and “appreciating differences,” to use the university’s buzz-words.

Federal officials have confirmed some of their fears, finding the university retaliated against an Algerian engineering professor - he settled last year for $14,000 - and half a dozen women who brought a class-action complaint.

“It seems as if the central administration and the colleges and the departments are not truly interested in a diverse or a non-hostile environment,” said Katherine Byrne, a veterinary faculty member who complained of sexual harassment. “They are much more willing to cause harm to these individuals that come forward with complaints, no matter what those complaints are.”

Female students bear the brunt of discrimination on campus, according to complaint forms obtained by The Spokesman-Review.

The university has yet to survey women on campus or otherwise attempt to measure the climate for them, in spite of requests in 1985 and 1990 by the Commission on the Status of Women, a panel appointed by the president.

Smith didn’t address the lack of a prior survey, but said he was willing to conduct one now.

The school has surveyed the climate for racial and ethnic minorities. In the most recent survey, to be given to the WSU Board of Regents on Friday, nearly half the black students interviewed said they faced discrimination from fellow students “a few times.”

More than one-third said the faculty discriminated against them and one in eight said administrators discriminated against them.

To improve the complaint process, WSU administrators say they plan to bring in a consultant and make the procedure a priority for whoever is chosen as the new director for the Center for Human Rights, the central office for discrimination problems. Administrators also plan to meet with the Citizens for a Diverse Campus, a group of WSU retirees and other residents whose campus protests two years ago led to the hiring of 10 minority faculty members.

Smith said the increase in complaints is in part because more people are learning to recognize discrimination when they see it.

“We take it as a very serious problem,” Smith said. “We’re looking into it. It’s part of the overall movement toward diversity. It’s one of the areas that is not moving as smoothly as we would like right now.”

WSU is not alone. While it has been the subject of 28 complaints to the state Human Rights Commission in the past 10 years, the University of Washington was named in 123.

“WSU is kind of quiet in comparison,” said Linda Autry, commission secretary.

The general concern about how WSU handles discrimination complaints contrasts with a public image groomed during Smith’s tenure.

Minority-oriented events are a regular campus feature and the university’s public relations machine regularly touts high-profile minority appointments and awards.

“There is no genuine interest in doing anything about diversity,” said Beth Prinz, former director of the school’s women’s center. “The real goal is to preserve the status quo.”

Leslie Liddle-Stamper, president of the WSU employees union, said Smith has delegated authority so far and wide that “there’s nobody in charge of the damn place.”

“I don’t want to call him a milquetoast,” she said, “but his main goal is raising huge amounts of money and donations and he’s lost sight of the product that he’s selling. He needs to spend time making sure his product is quality before he goes out and sells it some more.”

Liddle-Stamper joined the union leadership after becoming upset with the way her own sexual harassment complaint was handled by the university.

Smith isn’t the only target of critics. Some faculty and staff members complain that Ernestine Madison, vice provost for Human Relations and Resources, who is black, was chosen by the image-conscious Smith over a white woman nominated by a selection committee.

They say Madison, who earns $91,254 a year, is unwilling to roil the university waters by backing complaints against those in power.

Madison and her staff “have no interest in workers’ rights,” said Don Orlich, a professor of education and science instruction. “They’re advocates for administrators and they’re put there by administrators to protect administrators.”

Smith and Madison disagree.

“If we wanted to protect the status quo, we wouldn’t be increasing the number of overall employees in all of these areas,” said Smith, putting his hand on documents showing rising numbers of minority students and employees. “We wouldn’t be doing diversity plans. We wouldn’t be doing the (diversity) training.”

“There are some problems, and there are going to be problems in an institution of this size,” said Madison. “But I think the positive thing is that we’re doing what we can to address the problem, to recognize the fact that we’re not perfect.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: WSU COMPLAINTS The following 19 people, who claim they were discriminated against by Washington State University, have active complaints filed with outside agencies: Michelle Auslam, broadcast technician for WSU radio and television services. Filed sexual harassment and retaliation complaint with the Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs, which found in her favor and is weighing further action. Katherine Byrne, assistant professor in veterinary microbiology and pathology. Filed sexual harassment and retaliation complaint with the Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs, which found in her favor. Dallas Barnes, an African American and head of the Academic Development Program in the Student Advising and Learning Center. His civil rights suit scheduled to start in September in U.S. District Court in Spokane. Cynthia Christie, former first-aid instructor in the College of Education. Has complaint of sexual discrimination and retaliation pending with federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Colleen Fowles, graphic designer in technical services. Filed sexual harassment and retaliation complaint with the Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs, which found in her favor. Eloise “Bunny” Hunt, program coordinator, budget and planning office. Filed a complaint of violation of American Disabilities Act with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Leslie Liddle-Stamper, librarian. Filed sexual harassment and retaliation complaint with Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs, which found in her favor. Susan Lien, former administrative assistant for College of Sciences Technical Services Department. Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs recently found against her claim of discrimination and retaliation; she has filed $300,000 tort claim against school. John Lwai says he was denied five jobs at WSU, partly because he is Asian. He filed race and age complaint with state Human Rights Commission, which in turn filed complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Sally McDole, Jefferson County Extension employee. Has age discrimination suit pending in Thurston County Superior Court. Suzanne Nance, former research technician. Has complaint of sexual harassment and retaliation pending before Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs. Joyce Olsen, Thurston County extension agent. Has age discrimination suit pending in Thurston County Superior Court and complaint of gender and age discrimination with state Human Rights Commission. Ron Patton, African American housing custodian. Has received permission from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to file federal civil rights suit. Ray Romjue, technical services technician, College of Sciences. Filed complaint of violation of American Disabilities Act with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Linda Snook, library supervisor. Filed sexual harassment and retaliation complaint with Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs, which found in her favor. Florence Teitrick, program coordinator, College of Education. Filed age discrimination complaint with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Miro Vejzovic, graphic designer and Croatian. Has national origin and retaliation complaint before state Human Rights Commission and federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. James Ward, African American professor at Eastern Washington University turned down for WSU political science appointment. Has filed complaint of racial discrimination with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Lee Ann Winters, secretary in Physics Department. Filed civil rights complaint with state Human Rights Commission over denial of maternity benefits. - Eric Sorensen