NEWS
Co-workers hail Barrows’ integrity
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by Carolyn Smith and Mike Gendall:
Related Stories:
- Barrows to receive hearing (January 15, 2006)
- Barrows wins appeal against UW (April 17, 2006)
- Appeal could clear name for Barrows (April 11, 2006)
- Regents may hear Barrows case (September 4, 2006)
- Barrows to take further legal action (February 26, 2007)
by Carolyn Smith and Mike Gendall
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Paul Barrows has a reputation on campus, but it's not the kind portrayed by his accusers, witnesses said Tuesday at Barrows' appeals hearing.
University of Wisconsin political science professor Donald Downs opened testimony before the Academic Staff Appeals Committee on its second day of testimony Tuesday, relaying how he came to know Barrows, calling him a hardworking and conscientious "straight-shooter."
"Paul Barrows represented a role model for students — not just students of color — but all students," UW music professor Richard Davis added. "With Paul, it was a sure thing that you could get in touch with him at any time."
Barrows was removed from his post as vice chancellor for student affairs in November 2004 after allegations of sexual harassment sprang up and it was revealed that he had a relationship with a 40-year-old graduate student.
He is now appealing a publicized letter of reprimand from since-retired Provost Peter Spear, which also retroactively replaced 92 hours of sick leave taken by Barrows with 92 hours of vacation time.
As a part of the investigation into Barrows' alleged impropriety, former Dane County judge Susan Steingass was chosen by UW to conduct an inquiry, which was released last September.
Steingass testified Monday that her findings indicated Barrows did harass the women in question and backed her report in statements before the appeals committee.
But prior to the flurry of controversy that discredited Barrows' reputation, Downs said Tuesday he didn't build a personal relationship with Barrows until 2000. Though the two didn't always see eye-to-eye on First Amendment controversies, Downs said he and Barrows "came to be friends."
Several others witnesses yesterday specifically pointed to Barrows' "professionalism," and also referred to him as an "ally" for diversity issues.
Not only did testimony back Barrows' character, many witnesses said one of his accusers named in the Steingass Report — Chandrika Mahadeva — was emotionally unstable during much of her time as a staff member in the UW Diversity Education Program office.
Former DEP director Jose Maderas said he gave Mahadeva two negative evaluations when he was her superior several years ago. Even after the reprimands, her work did not improve, Maderas said. He also noted Mahadeva did not tell him of any problems she had with Barrows at the time.
Yet Mahadeva testified Monday that Barrows harassed her multiple times, and she specifically spoke of several alleged incidents that occurred during a 2004 "Super SOAR" event.
But Barrows did not have the opportunity to partake in inappropriate behavior toward anyone, according to Rebecca Ryan, a member of the UW cross-college advising staff. The event was inundated with logistical errors, Ryan said Tuesday, creating a "chaotic" situation not conducive to allowing Barrows any chance to harass Mahadeva.
Additionally, Suriana Kempe, a former DEP staff worker and member of the UW MultiCultural Student Center, said she worked on a fairly regular basis with Mahadeva around the time Mahadeva alleges Barrows harassed her.
Kempe said she would talk with Mahadeva about the men she was dating.
"I had conversations about other men with her, but Paul never came up," Kempe said. "There was no question about his reputation. … There was never a question about his character."
But while Barrows' attorney Lester Pines chipped away at Mahadeva's character and credibility, UW attorney Nancy Lynch argued Spear's reprimand was a mild punishment for the allegations.
"In the end what is a written reprimand?" Lynch asked during closing statements. "He did not fire Mr. Barrows [and] he did not remove Mr. Barrows from his vice chancellor position. … Provost Spear did not put Barrows in that backup position."
Pines said, though, that the allegations against Barrows — along with Spear's reprimand — were enough to severely damage his client's career.
"It's a big, highly-publicized deal," Pines said. "And if you get a letter of reprimand that says you have sexually harassed someone, your career is sunk."
In other testimony Monday, Sara Fuller, a former undergraduate employee in the office of the associate vice chancellor, told the committee Barrows invited her out to dinner several times and acted inappropriately around her. Fuller was also named in the Steingass Report, but said she never filed an official complaint.
Lynch referred back to Fuller's testimony in her closing statements Tuesday.
"[Fuller] articulated very clearly how uncomfortably she felt with Dr. Barrows," Lynch said. "When you think about Sara Fuller, remember she was an undergraduate at the time. Dr. Barrows was vice chancellor student affairs — there is an incredible power differential in that situation."
However, the testimony of Paula Gates, a program assistant in the provost's office — who worked with Fuller at the time — said the environment in the office was not in any way "uncomfortable."
Gates, along with the four other witnesses who directly testified about Barrows' interactions with women, refuted claims that he was a "womanizer" and "leered" at women he worked with.
"If [the university] could show that Paul Barrows was the kind of person who would prey on … students, they would have found that evidence," Pines said. "They would have presented that evidence to you."
The committee will announce their decision on the Barrows appeal in an open hearing Friday morning.
— Herald staff contributed to this report.
Ass Master (April 12, 2006 @ 11:53am):
Notice no-one really says, "this doesn't sound the the Paul Barrows I know." If you get a couple of drinks in this guy, something he does often, he grabs every tail in the place. Funnny behavior from a frat guy, not from an administrator.
Get rid of him. The people sticking up for him are good friends of his, find some people that simply worked with him, and you'll get the real story of Paul Barrows.
Anonymous (April 12, 2006 @ 5:16pm):
"...also referred to him as an "ally" for diversity issues."
If this guy was white he'd have been run out of town by now.
