OPINION & EDITORIAL
Wiley’s actions mirror Duke scandal
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by Letters to the Editor
Friday, April 13, 2007
As I listened to North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper explain why he was dismissing the charges against the three Duke University LaCrosse players, I couldn't help but draw parallels to what has transpired on this campus in terms of how I have been treated by Chancellor Wiley and his Executive Assistant Casey Nagy, Provosts Peter Spear and Patrick Farrell.
Mr. Cooper said the students were vulnerable because Mr. Nifong had the financing and the weight of the state of North Carolina backing him against the three students in question. John Wiley has also had the weight of the Attorney Generals Office and the deep pockets of the taxpayers from the state of Wisconsin backing him. Mr. Nifong made false accusations that were not backed-up by DNA or any other credible evidence. Chancellor Wiley and his three subordinates all made false accusations against me that have never been substantiated at all. In fact, the allegations were thrown out as a result of my Hearing with the Academic Staff Appeals Committee on April 10th, 11th and 14th, 2006. Mr. Cooper said that Mr. Nifong had all of the power and disgression while the three students had none. Ditto for my case with John Wiley et al.
Mr. Cooper, and the three students in their remarks to the media stated that the biggest lesson emanating from their case was the fact that Duke University, Mr. Nifong and the media rushed to judgement forgetting the most fundamental part of the U.S. Constitution that says all men are innocent until proven guilty. This is exactly what has happened in my case as well.
Mr. Cooper criticized Mr. Nifong for going to a grand jury, presenting evidence and leaving no written, taped or video recording of what transpired which was used as a basis for the indictments against the three students. Aside from the ASAC Hearing, Chancellor Wiley and his buddies (with the exception of Peter Spear) have refused to face me directly in a Hearing or Court of Law and have in fact held their so-called documentation in secret from me and my attorney and the general public thereby undermining my rights to fairness and justice and the opportunity to face them—my ultimate accusers.
The Board of Regents have also denied my rights to justice and fairness by holding onto my appeal of all of the actions taken against me by the Wiley administration and not giving me my "day in court" with their Personnel Matters Review Committee despite the fact that my case meets and exceeds all of the criteria for such a Hearing. The Regents have been sitting on my appeal without taking any action since February of 2006.
Finally, Mr. Cooper was most critical of Mr. Nifong for not conducting a credible investigation of the allegations and then making pronouncements to the media that have served to destroy the reputation of these three young men. Chancellor Wiley never did any credible investigation of any of the allegations against me whatsoever, nor did Casey Nagy, Peter Spear, Patrick Farrell or Judge Susan Steingass. Yet, each of them went to the media with prouncements, reports and releases that have collectively served to ruin my reputation. What Mr. Nifong has done pales to the raw and unbridled abuse of power by Chancellor John Wiley and his cronies here at UW-Madison.
Paul W. Barrows, Ph.D.
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 9:20am):
Well said, Dr. Barrows!
Keep fighting!
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 9:48am):
Tired of NOT being in the spotlight, Paul?
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 10:10am):
It's obvious that Mr. Wiley's vision of social justice is blinded by his bigotry.
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 10:34am):
Mr. Barrows, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this campus is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 11:05am):
We all suffer when justice is subverted by the powerful. We need look no further than Wiley and his power to find our own Duke case played out against Paul Barrows. This reminds me of the UWRCF scandal where Federal Judge Shabaz finally shined the light on Wiley's subversion of justice.
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 11:56am):
Except, of course, for the fact that you, Dr. Barrows, engaged in a romantic relationship with someone over whom you held power. It might not have been illegal at the time, but it sure was unethical and dumb.
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 12:14pm):
I don't think Dr. Barrows has ever faced the prospect of spending more than 30 years in jail so how exactly does what Nifong did pale in comparison to what he accuses Chancellor Wiley of doing?
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 1:35pm):
At no point in Anonymous at 10:34's response did he form a single rational, original thought, choosing instead to quote from a popular culture movie to sway public opinion instead of using his own thoughts to critique or praise Mr. Barrows.
That's a good little sheep. Baaah.
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 3:42pm):
Do Barrows REALLY think that things would have gone easier for him if he'd been white?
Anonymous (April 13, 2007 @ 5:00pm):
Mr. Barrows, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this campus is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
ROCK ON DUDE
Anonymous (April 14, 2007 @ 3:25pm):
Paul Barrows is absolutely correct. The charges against him were dismissed by the ASAC, so Barrows should receive the $150000 consulting job, back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, legal costs, and a public apology from everyone involved in this fiasco. Furthermore, Wiley and Farrell should be replaced.
Anonymous (April 16, 2007 @ 12:35am):
Agreed. Barrows will never get fair treatment from old John D. Wiley, that's for sure. He's a jerk, dolt, fool, bumbler, boob, and jackass. He's made a farce out of the UW-Madison administration. He's turned the governor and legislature against UW, and created a climate of embarrassment and shame on campus.
Anonymous (April 16, 2007 @ 2:26pm):
Yes. It is truly amazing how John Wiley allowed the Barrows/Hong situation to balloon into this colossal public humiliation for UW-Madison. It's the most
total and complete failure of leadership in the history of the university. We need a new chancellor here right now.
Anonymous (April 16, 2007 @ 10:23pm):
I agree, but it seems odd that the UW Regents have not already done so. What are they waiting for? Things are really bad here. We're in real trouble at UW-Madison, and the Barrows case illustrates how much John Wiley and Patrick Farrell have failed us. The Regents must act now.
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 3:15pm):
Tasteless and tactless. Which is what got him in trouble to start with.
Anonymous (April 19, 2007 @ 10:16pm):
Referring to Barrows or Wiley?
Anonymous (April 29, 2007 @ 10:26pm):
I don't know if Wiley is "tasteless and tactless", but I do know his plan is always the same: cover up problems and bury them forever, of possible. Through threats, intimidation, and retaliation, Wiley bullies people around. He rules through fear and terror. As someone said above, he has zero leadership skills. He never should have been made chancellor. The whole climate at Bascom has been just awful under Wiley, especially since 2005. Replace him ASAP.
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