A UW-Madison faculty-appeals committee heard testimony Monday regarding the case of Paul Barrows, the former UW-Madison vice chancellor demoted by the University for alleged improper conduct last year. Barrows took a sick leave in November 2004 after it was discovered he was having a relationship with a graduate student.
According to ASAC Chair Karen Al-Ashkar, the committee will attempt to determine if the penalties enacted by former Provost Peter Spear following the incident were justified under academic staff policies and procedures by applying seven tests for just cause\ to the discipline measures. These tests will determine if Barrows received ""notice"" of the consequences of his conduct, whether employer rules were ""reasonable,"" if a ""fair investigation,"" yielding proof preceded punishment, whether Barrows was ""treated equally"" and if the penalty fit the conduct.
Specific actions against Barrows that are under appeal are a letter of reprimand from the University, required sexual-harassment training and an order that he swap 92 hours of sick time he used for vacation time.
""We as a panel must sit down and look at those seven areas and say, ‘Did the testimony and did the evidence support this decision?'"" Al-Ashkar said.
She said the outcome of the proceedings is still unclear, but that the committee cannot reinstall Barrows into a job from which the University demoted him.
The committee also heard testimony from witnesses called by University lawyers and Barrows himself, according to UW-Madison spokesperson Amy Toburen. Additional witnesses will testify Tuesday.
Al-Ashkar said after the committee deliberates, it will draft a recommendation to be reviewed by Provost Patrick Farrell.
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