***** Vol.3 Chap.36 Raging accusations *****
Dr. Campbell turned to Frank, still smiling, “Frank, let me come to the point.”
Okay, here it comes. Frank said silently to himself.
“While we were talking to Dr. Smith about the project, she mentally broke down completely. She told us how she was very much bothered by the unethical actions and sexual harassment during the last two years that she had been working with you and she was seriously considering taking actions by filing a civil lawsuit according to the advice of her attorney.”
John took a sip of the coffee to let his words sink in.
He continued, “Naturally, we are very much saddened by what she told us. Immediately, we told Dr. Smith to hold on until we have a chance to talk to you.”
“Wait a minute, what do you mean ‘unethical actions’ and ‘sexual harassment’? What are you talking about?”
“Dr. Smith told us about your operations in the laboratory and mentioned to us all the unethical actions and sexual harassment that happened there.”
Frank was totally aghast and blindsided!
“Wait a minute, John. I know nothing about what you are talking about? What did JB say to you?”
“Frank, what Dr. Smith told us is highly confidential because this is a personnel matter. But since it involves you, I will…”
“What do you mean, ‘it involves me’?” He interrupted angrily.
“Dr. Smith was very much bothered and concerned about your research practice and…”
“What research practice?”
“Frank, if you would stop interrupting me, I will tell you.” John was as calm as he could be in his poker face.
“Okay, sorry. John, go ahead.” Frank sat back resigned.
“Dr. Smith told us how you pressured her for results week after week and…”
“We have weekly research meetings!” He retorted.
“Please, Frank, let me finish.” John said holding up his hand to stop Frank.
Then he continued, “Dr. Smith told us how you pressured her to ignore the data that did not fit and use only the data that fit the hypothesis. We all know that this is academic dishonesty. Dr. Smith further told us that at first, she resisted you; but because you kept pressuring her week after week, she finally decided to just show you what you wanted to see but warned you that the results were totally unreliable. But you ignored her warnings and went ahead and gave your talk and published your results that were fraught with bias and inaccuracies.”
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“I did no such thing, John.” John again held out a hand to stop him.
“Dr. Smith showed us conclusive evidence from his research results about how you have specifically excluded a significant number of raw data samples so that the answer would fit your idea. After examining the evidence, we agreed with Dr. Smith that this was academic dishonesty.”
“Oh, come on, John, you don’t believe any of this. Do you?”
“I wanted so much not to, Frank. But we took the data to Dr. Brezinski in the Mathematics and Statistics Department. After examining the data for half a day, he agreed that those points you tossed out can hardly be called outliers and should not be discarded at all. Frank, we are all shocked by this event.”
“You shocked? I am stunned!”
“We all know that academic dishonesty is a serious thing. Dr. Smith further told us you not only harassed her for the research results, but you further had physical contact with her that made her very uncomfortable.”
“What do you mean, John? You know this is absurd!” Frank was getting very livid now.
“Dr. Smith told us how you often physically touch her during the research meetings, making her very uncomfortable. She considered this sexual harassment. When Dr. Smith was recounting to us, she broke down completely at this point and could not continue. Frank, we are really shocked about this matter. This is very serious.”
“John, I did no such thing!”
“We have also checked with Dr. Margaret Tomash and she confirmed that you have physically touched Dr. Smith.”
“I patted her on the back for a great job she did in programming.”
“So, you do not deny the fact that you physically touched her?”
“I said ‘I patted her on the back.’ I was just letting her know she has done a good job.”
“There are many ways to reward her for doing a great job without sexually harassing him.”
“I did not harass her, much less sexually.”
“We are really saddened by this lack of honesty and lack of judgment. Both academic dishonesty and sexual harassment are serious matters in this institution.”
“John, you are not hearing me! I did nothing even remotely close to what you are talking about.”
“No, Frank. I am afraid that YOU are not listening to me.” John pointed his finger back at him.
“I had taken all the evidence to Dr. Sottol, the Chair of the Faculty Senate and to Dr. Summer, the Chair of the Faculty Appeals Board. Both Dr. Sottol and Dr. Summer agreed that you had no case to stand on because the evidence was overwhelming. I had also consulted with our legal department and they concurred.”
“It is JB’s word against mine!”
“Dr. Summer said she had handled many cases of complaints in the past and this case was rather clear cut based on the evidence.”
“It seemed like you all have made up your minds!”
“Yes, we have, Frank. Because of your service in the past, we would like you to resign quietly from your position before further harm is done to this institution.”
“You want me to resign?”
“If word gets out about your academic dishonesty, not only would you lose your NIH funding, but the whole institution would also lose all its NIH and NSF fundings too. Think about this, Frank. What would happen to this institution if we cannot get any federal grants?”
“John, let me talk to JB.”
“Frank, we feel it is best that you don’t talk to JB. In her present condition, she is in no shape to confront you at all.”
“And you all believe her?”
“The evidence was overwhelming.”
For a while, he sat there speechless. He did not know what to think.
“Frank, I need to make a few phone calls. I know this comes rather suddenly. Let me leave you for a while. After taking care of a few things. I will be back in fifteen minutes.”
With that, John turned and walked out of the room without saying another word and closed the door behind him.