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COURT REPORTER
Students at SUU rally to support fired professor [by The Associated Press] Students at Southern Utah University are rallying behind a professor who was fired after using the f-word in class, prompting a debate about the school’s tolerance for diversity.
Political science professor Stephen Roberds
“I initiated the creation of the Web site
worked at the Cedar City campus for six
because I knew a lot of students who felt
SUU Faculty Senate President David Rees
years, and was undergoing peer review for
the same outrage that I did when Professor
said Roberds’ use of the f-word was not the
tenure, when he reportedly used the f-word
Roberds was fired,” Cassandra Cook said.
basis for the firing but “just a continuation of
during a heated classroom discussion with a
“There needed to be some way to organize
history.” Stifling students’ opinions that were
student about a Supreme Court ruling.
ourselves, and to make something happen,
different from his own by name calling and
and I knew that the Internet is one of the best
using an intimidating, loud voice were also
Roberds quickly apologized to the student
mediums to get people together and share
factors, Rees said.
and class.
information.”
Last week, the school essentially fired
Without offering much detail, school officials
onstration to support traditional marriage
Roberds by refusing to renew his contract
say Roberds’ firing had nothing to do with the
and Professor Roberds showed up, and it’s
and denying him tenure, insisting that a pat-
f-word incident.
all captured on video tape, and ridiculed the
“Last spring, the students organized a dem-
tern of problems _ not a single episode _ led to the action.
purpose of the demonstration and began “It was based on careful examination of his
ranting at a student and calling the student
six-year career and what has gone on during
names,” Rees said.
Roberds quickly fired back, accusing school
that time,” said, Dean O’Driscoll, assistant to
administrators in a statement Thursday of
the president at the school. He did not elabo-
Roberds doesn’t dispute the incident, saying
creating a climate of fear for faculty mem-
rate, saying university officials are bound by
he called the student a “racist Nazi bigot.”
bers. And in a written statement, Roberds
policy not to comment on personnel matters.
The demonstration was a mock wedding of two males, but was originally going to be
said faculty members have been “called on the carpet because of books and readings”
“I feel the students are only being fair in rep-
they assign for their classes.
resenting what their opinions are, and so it is difficult to rebuke opinions,” he said.
between a man and a dog, Roberds said. “I have as much right to freedom of speech as they did in their demonstration,” Roberds
“As long as you fit in, you’re fine. But if you are outside the box, they are very quick to
Ironically, Roberds was named the 2003-04
said. “I found the demonstration offensive
intimidate you,” he wrote.
Professor of the Year. Two weeks ago, he
and hurtful to students on campus who are
gave the university’s Grace A. Tanner Distin-
gay and lesbian.”
Some students suggested that school of-
guished Faculty Lecture. Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights
ficials used the incident as a way to deny Roberds tenure, and now some of them have
Roberds said reasons for the termination
reserved. This material may not be pub-
created a Web site to vent their frustrations.
and for not getting tenure changed every day
lished, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed.
since the Oct. 12 classroom episode. The Web site has a forum, links to articles on Roberds’ termination and graphic drawings,
“Every time I heard of one thing and tried to
including one that depicts the SUU adminis-
address it, they would throw in something
tration holding the head of Roberds with text
new,” Roberds wrote. He accused SUU of-
declaring, “We got him boys.”
ficials of “making up the rules as they go along.”
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