Does bias threaten Siegel's legacy?
by John F. Sugg
- Jim Stawniak
- President Betty Siegel says bias is "alien" to her.
For Siegel, buoyed by Cobb County's business and political elite, it was a triumphant evening testifying to, as a dinner program effused, "her affirming, caring and joyful presence in higher education."
It's safe to guess that one verboten topic of cocktail banter was a Supreme Court hearing 16 days away that will focus national attention to charges of bias on campus. And, certainly, the chatter never turned to the allegations of anti-Semitism.
Moreover, university officials blanch at the accusations of bias and discrimination. Gordon Harrison, KSU's associate vice president, comments: "Religious discrimination? I just don't see it."
Nonetheless, both Board of Regents spokeswoman Arlethia Perry-Johnson and Harrison concede that incidents have occurred, but they say anti-Semitism is an aberration on campus. "Pockets" is the word both used to describe the scope of on-campus hate.
"Are there people [at KSU] who are anti-Semitic?" says Harrison. "Yes, I'm sure, but I don't know about it."
Not knowing is hard to explain. A nine-page, single-spaced "Summary of Charges of Anti-Semitism and Racism at Kennesaw State University" was provided to CL by seven professors -- it is, apparently, a much-duplicated must-read in faculty lounges.
Even KSU's second in command, Vice President Ed Rugg, has tacitly admitted that allegations of anti-Semitism have bruised the school. In yanking a course last fall on the culture of Nazi Germany, Rugg wrote a frantic e-mail to a faculty member acknowledging that KSU's reputation has hurt relations with the Jewish community and has damaged private fund raising. "That is not an experience that I, you or the rest of the university want or can afford to repeat again," Rugg wrote.
Still shy of prestige-bedecked research centers such as the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State, KSU is a power campus nonetheless among the state's 34 higher education institutions.
Siegel herself has amply demonstrated longevity; her two-decade tenure is treble that of most presidents of state colleges and universities.
Siegel's two decades at KSU have been marked with a string of accomplishments. She arrived just after the two-year Kennesaw Junior College had become the four-year Kennesaw College. The school has grown since to a full-fledged university.
Along the way, KSU was named as one of 20 "colleges on the move" in an authoritative book, Searching for Academic Excellence.
But despite acclaim and accomplishment, Siegel's tenure has been marred by the accusations of bias against Jewish staff.
Attorney Craig Frankel, who has represented several of the professors including KSU's current nemesis, Paul Lapides, bluntly states: "This has been ongoing for years and they haven't done anything. That's horrifying, and even more horrifying is that the Board of Regents hasn't done anything."
In the end, what troubles Siegel the most about the anti-Semitism allegations is how it will affect her legacy, her memory on campus.
"Anything that smacks of a lack of civility, a lack of understanding is alien to me," the president says. "How could I accept bias on my campus?"
Lapides responds: "While Dr. Siegel may not be the architect of anti-Semitism and racism at the University, there is no evidence that she has done anything to investigate any of the complaints or to stop anti-Semitic or racist actions by certain employees of the university.
"Approaching retirement," he says, "Siegel's legacy may be building KSU and taking action to stop anti-Semitism and racism on campus, or presiding over the university while others have destroyed it."
Latest in Cover Story
-
Cocaine Town 16
One in three men arrested in Atlanta has cocaine in his system. And that's an improvement.
-
Can Don Lemon set CNN straight? 62
Cable news is broken and the 'CNN Newsroom' anchor could be the guy to fix it
-
Newt Gingrich's rope-a-dope strategy 9
Gingrich's plan — wait until other GOPers punched themselves out — worked beautifully. Now ...
- More »
Author Archives
-
Newt Gingrich as political chameleon 6
To get elected, Newt is transforming into his new BFF, Bill Clinton. And that's OK.
- More »
-
Free Will Astrology
Feb. 9-15
-
Why are eco-fascists trying to ban incandescent bulbs? 17
-
Bizarre crimes from Atlanta police reports
Punch-drunk and pissed
Comments (0)