Seton Hall provost
defends demotion of dean
BY KELLY HEYBOER,
Star-Ledger (nj.com) from the Web, November 16, 2005
Newark, NJ -- Seton Hall
University did not violate an associate dean's academic freedom when he was
demoted for including his title on a letter to The Star-Ledger criticizing the
Catholic Church's treatment of homosexuals, the school's provost said yesterday.
Molly Smith, dean of Seton Hall's College of Arts and Sciences, demoted the
associate dean, W. King Mott, last month after the newspaper published his
letter to the editor Oct. 19. Smith said it was inappropriate for Mott to
include his Seton Hall title with his signature on the letter because it
appeared he was speaking for the Catholic university.
Last week, 47 members of the arts and sciences faculty approved an unofficial
resolution criticizing Smith's actions as "excessive and rash" and questioning
whether she violated Mott's academic freedom.
Seton Hall Provost Thomas Lindsay responded yesterday with a statement
supporting Smith.
"Dean Molly Smith's dismissal of Dr. King Mott from the position of associate
dean does not violate his academic freedom," the statement said. "His
dismissal is appropriately the prerogative of Dean Smith, who, as dean, has the
right to choose and retain the members of her support team."
The statement cites an American Association of University Professors policy that
says professors are free to express their opinions, but must "make every effort
to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution."
Mott said yesterday that he acted "responsibly."
"I spoke in the first person," Mott said. "And what I published is both
supported in social science research and in psychological research. I do
not speak for Seton Hall University."
He also said: "What is bothersome to the Roman Catholic Church is that I
dared to speak against their authority. And that is what academic freedom
is about. We must be able to speak truth to authority."
Mott, who is gay, has tenure and remains on campus as an associate professor of
political science. He has said he is looking for another job.
His two-paragraph letter to the editor criticized the Catholic Church for making
gay men the "scapegoats" for the priest sex abuse scandal.
"The church hierarchy understands one thing very well: political survival.
If it can move the target away from an institution organized as one of the least
democratic powers remaining in the world, then any sacrifice is justified," the
letter read.
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