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More trouble on horizon
Even as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission report on discrimination at SCSU is still hot off the presses, SCSU administrators have run into another controversy � this time over the sacking of an African professor.
The African Student Association is demanding the reinstatement of real estate professor Christopher Ngassam, who was dismissed over the semester break.
"If Dr. Ngassam is not reinstated by Monday, we will have to take things to the next level," said Eamonn Thorpe, ASA president, at a meeting with SCSU President Roy Saigo Thursday.
Ngassam was a "mentor, advisor and well-respected," according to students who spoke at the meeting. His dismissal has left many unanswered questions, which the ASA had hoped would be addressed at Thursday's meeting.
The ASA is claiming that Saigo promised to reinstate Ngassam at a grievance meeting on Jan. 10, but that he is now dragging his heels. The main concern is that due process has not been followed.
"Dr. Ngassam's contract calls for a grievance process, and this was not followed," said Adeboye Shay, vice president of the ASA. "I think the fact that he is black has something to do with that."
Shay also termed as "inhumane" the delivering of Ngassam's letter of dismissal on Christmas Eve. Ngassam could not be reached for comment.
Shay pointed out at the meeting that Dr. Laurinda Stryker, a white professor, was afforded due process in her case last year, and was reinstated under similar circumstances.
President Saigo told the ASA that he could not answer questions about specific cases still under review, but that he would be going over the case with his staff and advisors.
"I take these comments very seriously," he said. "I want you to know that I am not blowing this off."
The mood of the meeting quickly turned sour when Thorpe turned to Saigo and said, "Can you guarantee us that Dr. Ngassam will be reinstated by Monday?"
When Saigo responded that he could not make any assurances, Thorpe promptly adjourned the meeting, saying "Well then, we are going to make the next step."
Thorpe did not fully illuminate what that next step would be, saying that he did not want to rush into anything before Saigo made a decision. But what is clear is that the ASA is not going to let Ngassam's case fade into the background until they receive some sort of reasoning behind the dismissal.
Ngassam's case comes on the heels of an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission report that states SCSU's handling of bias lacks credibility. Saigo said last week that he hopes to rebuild that credibility, and the Ngassam case will be his first effort.
Affirmative Actions Officer, Laurel Allen, said that she hopes Saigo will handle this case through all the proper channels so all parties are satisfied.
"I don't know the specifics of the case because it never came to this office," she said. "But I am hoping we handle this correctly and according to our procedural rules so that we will be able to stand up to scrutiny and investigation."
With the ASA waiting for a ruling or decision this week, Saigo's first test in rebuilding SCSU's credibility in handling bias could be an important one. If the ASA is not properly satisfied that the case was handled in the manner it should have been, the cries of bias and discrimination may start all over again.
Jake Zisla can be reached at: [email protected]
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