Logan Fisher, a Temple University graduating senior, became the first student to testify in hearings on academic freedom held by the Pennsylvania House Select Committee. The latest hearings, at which Fisher testified, were held at Temple in Philadelphia on January 9 and 10.
Fisher said that there is a lack of academic freedom for students at Temple and that he had been made to feel uncomfortable when voicing his opinions in class and he thinks that in one class his grade was lower than it should have been because of his political views.
“I had a professor last semester ask if ‘Is it ever justified for the United States to break with the international community to protect our own interests?’ When I answered, ‘Yes,’ the professor told me ‘well… you’re going to have a rough semester in this class’,” Fisher said.
Fisher is a business law major, Vice-Chair of the College Republicans and Vice-President of the Temple chapter of Students for Academic Freedom.
After Fisher gave his statement, Representative Thomas L. Stephenson (R-Allegheny), Chair of the committee, asked if any formal complaints were filed by himself or the students Fisher had spoken to. Fisher said that no complaints had been filed, but “I have talked to several professors privately and was dismissed by them.”
A common question throughout the hearings was why haven’t more students testified or filed formal complaints with their universities. Fisher said it is because students are intimidated and fear academic problems if they come forward.
“I experienced firsthand the apprehension students had to testify today, as they expressed to me concerns of retaliation by professors and fear of being singled out in their classes in the future,” Fisher said.
Representative Gibson C. Armstrong (R-Lancaster) asked why students would be afraid to file a formal complaint. “I think many times they know they will have to take classes with them [the professor] again,” said Fisher, “Many students feel they will be shot down and humiliated.”
Fisher also said he has been made to feel awkward in classes when presenting a different viewpoint in class, and that if he was a freshman or sophomore he would fear reprisal for testifying before the committee.
Armstrong received a resounding “No.” when he asked Fisher if he was aware of Temple University’s statement on academic freedom, which had been mentioned by university president David Adamany earlier that day, or the policies for filing a grievance at Temple.
In the public comment time following Fisher’s testimony another student complained about treatment from Temple University faculty. Christian M. DeJohn, a graduate student majoring in Military and American History, said that he believes the administrative problems, and delays of his graduation are because of stands he has taken against professors.
DeJohn, who is a sergeant in the Pennsylvania National Guard, started grad school at Temple in 2002, but was called to active duty shortly thereafter. DeJohn applied for emergency leave and was granted it from Temple, but when he returned from duty a year later, a form letter stated that he had been dismissed from the program for not requesting a leave of absence.
After fighting the university, DeJohn was readmitted but has since battled missing records, correspondence class credit disputes, graduation delays and technically defaulted on student loans because his loan company was told that he graduated. He has not been hired for federal jobs he is qualified for because he does not have his degree in hand.
“Last March (2005), my primary reader told me that he was ready to sign off on my MA thesis. He also told me that the amount and quality of my research made it more like a Ph. D. thesis than one for a Masters’ degree,” DeJohn told the committee. The secondary reader, however responded to DeJohn’s thesis very differently.
“The secondary reader has trashed my work, in words I am embarrassed to repeat before this committee. This is obstructing my graduation. Oddly enough, this professor is the same one with whom I politely disagreed when he injected anti-military diatribes into his class, and who had assigned me extra work for a completed class, which he had approved and for which I had received an A-,” said DeJohn.
Representative Armstrong said that DeJohn’s situation is a travesty if true and that given the earlier remarks of President Adamany he is “disappointed to hear this.” Representative James R. Roebuck Jr. (D-Philadelphia county) told DeJohn he would personally help with the student loan problems. Chairman Stevenson told DeJohn he should go directly to Adamany’s office and ask for help.
The committee plans to hold at least two more hearings in Harrisburg in the coming months.
Julia A. Seymour is a staff writer for Accuracy in Academia.
