Interim Dean Barlowe and The Toxic Environment
Donald K. Wedding, UT-AAUP Executive Board & Grievance Chair
On May 23, 2012 a disciplinary hearing was held by Acting Dean Jamie Barlowe for a professor in the Department of Psychology. The Department Chair was not present. The professor was not advised in advance that this would be a disciplinary hearing. She was not told before or during the meeting of her right to be represented by the UT-AAUP. The UT-AAUP was not advised of the hearing and was not present.
Barlowe did most of the talking at the hearing and advised the professor that she (Barlowe) had conducted a three month extensive investigation of allegations that the professor had created a toxic environment and was harassing students in the Ph.D. clinical training program. Although Barlowe said she had conducted her investigation for three months, she did not consult the professor or the Department Chair or the Department Associate Chair during the three months. Her investigation was conducted in secret.
If Barlowe did conduct an extensive secret investigation for over three months and if a toxic environment did exist as alleged by Barlowe, she is guilty of negligence for prolonging the investigation and needlessly exposing students and faculty to the alleged toxic environment.
Barlowe has refused to provide any details as to her findings except the broad allegation that the professor had harassed graduate students and had created a toxic environment. Although no student names were given, Barlowe warned the professor not to retaliate against any student. The professor was told that this is a very serious matter and that a student might have a claim of retaliation if a grade less than A is received.
The professor was told that there had been a student suicide in another department and the Jacobs Administration is highly sensitive to a toxic environment for students. The professor was told that she could be held accountable if a student committed suicide because of the toxic environment created by her. She was told that faculty members had also been impacted by the toxic environment and this is a very serious situation because a faculty member's health and physical safety are at risk. The professor was not advised as to how she had created a toxic environment for students or the faculty member.
Barlowe advised that the professor was being removed as Director of the Clinical Training program, a position she has held for two years. Barlowe said that the Chair was first told about the hearing and the discipline just before the hearing, but was not invited to the hearing.
Barlowe revealed that a parent had written to President Jacobs. Barlowe asked why would a parent write a letter if the professor had not done these things. Barlowe said the parents had witnessed terrible effects on their child, but she did not elaborate on what terrible things the professor had allegedly done. However, it is known that one graduate student complained because the student was instructed by the professor not to use a certain treatment on a client. These are clinical graduate students under the supervision of the professor. The students are in fact operating under the professor's professional license. The professor is professionally and legally responsible for these students. The Administration including President Jacobs and Acting Dean Barlowe cannot instruct the professor to act contrary to her professional code of ethics and responsibility. This is a violation of the professor's academic freedom and her professional responsibilities and obligations.
Acting Dean Barlowe has advised that she alone may remove and appoint the Director of the Clinical Training program without consultation with the Department Chair, clinical faculty, or the Graduate School. Indeed she has now unilaterally appointed a new Director. Barlowe has acted and is acting in violation of the UT-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement, professional rules and regulations, and the policies and procedures of the University of Toledo including bylaws of the Department of Psychology. Barlowe has also violated fundamental rights of due process and has infringed the academic freedom of faculty and students. She has also jeopardized and potentially harmed third party clients.
Barlowe has disciplined a graduate faculty member on a charge of creating a toxic environment, but she has refused to provide any explanation. There is a toxic environment at the University of Toledo, but it is created by Barlowe and the Jacobs Administration.
