January
      21,
      1997
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
           
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Panther
      Prints
     
    
   
   
    
     
          
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Digging
      Up
      Dirt
      on
      The
      Soc/Anth
      Rant
     
    
   
   
    
     
      By
      Jennifer
      Caseley
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Twenty
      years
      ago
      the
     
     
      Department
      of
      Sociology
      and
     
     
      Anthropology
      at
      the
      Univer-
     
     
      sity
      of
      Prince
      Edward
      Island
     
     
      started
      to
      have
      problems
      be-
     
     
      tween
      faculty
      members.
      The
     
     
      result
      of
      these
      problems
      was
     
     
      the
      implementation
      of
      a
      rotat-
     
     
      ing
      departmental
      chair
     
     
      wherein
      each
      member
      of
      the
     
     
      department
      would
      hold
      the
     
     
      position
      of
      chair
      for
      a
      period
     
     
      of
      twelve
      months.
      This
      _rota-
     
     
      tion
      of
      ‘power’
      was
      supposed
     
     
      to
      eliminate
      problems
      of
      au-
     
     
      thority
      within
      the
      department.
     
     
      This
      new
      initiative
      however,
     
     
      did
      not
      do
      what
      was
      hoped.
     
    

    
     
      In
      an
      external
      study
      of
     
     
      the
      department
      conducted
      in
     
     
      1991,
      it
      was
      recommended
      by
     
     
      Pieter
      de
      Vries,
      Chair
      of
      the
     
     
      Department
      of
      Sociology
      and
     
     
      Anthropology
      for
      Concordia
     
     
      University
      that
      the
      department
     
     
      move
      to
      a
      three-year
      term
      for
     
     
      the
      departmental
      chair,
      and
     
     
      that
      the
      department
      look
      ex-
     
     
      ternally
      for
      such
      a
      chair.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ternauly
      IOr
      sucu
      a
      Cia.
     
    

    
     
      Finally
      in
      the
      spring
      of
     
     
      1995,
      Dr.
      Satadal
      Dasgupta,
      a
     
     
      tenured
      professor
      at
      UPEI,
     
     
      entered
      into
      his
      three-year
      ro-
     
     
      tation
      as
      chair.
     
    

    
     
      Professors
      at
      UPEI
      have
     
     
      been
      known
      to
      merely
      shake
     
     
      their
      heads
      when
      hearing
      of
     
     
      the
      antics
      going
      on
      in
      the
      Soc/
     
     
      Anth
      Department,
      but
      perhaps:
     
     
      it
      is
      time
      the
      University’s
      ad-
     
     
      ministration
      take
      a
      closer
      look
     
     
      at
      what
      is
      really
      going
      on.
     
    

    
     
      The
      stories
      below
      rep-
     
     
      Tesent
      a
      few
      of
      the
      problems
     
     
      the
      department
      of
      Sociology/
     
     
      Anthropology
      has
      had
      since
     
     
      the
      fall
      of
      1995.
      The
      names
      of
     
     
      most
      of
      the
      students
      have
      been
     
     
      changed
      because
      they
      fear
      ret-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ribution
      from
      their
      professors.
      _
     
    
   
   
    
     
      “Rules
      of
      Conduct”
     
     
      Rachel
      MacDonald*
     
     
      didn’t
      understand
      one
      of
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      concepts
      presented
      to
      her
      in
      _
     
     
      class
      so
      she
      asked
      for
      help.
      —
     
     
      That
      was
      Rachel’s
      s
      first
      mis-
      E
     
    
   
   
    
     
      take.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Rachel
      is
      a
      manic
      de-
     
     
      pressive
      and
      the
      course
      of
     
     
      events
      leading
      up
      to
      her
      break
     
     
      down
      have
      caused
      some
      con-
     
     
      cern
      for
      the
      students
      at
      the
     
     
      University
      of
      Prince
      Edward
     
     
      Island.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘rules
      of
     
     
      conduct'
      would
     
     
      infringe
      on
     
     
      students'
     
     
      academic
     
     
      freedom.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Inthe
      fall
      of
      1995
      Rachel
     
     
      was
      enrolled
      in
      Anthropology
     
     
      201
      (Cultural
      Anthropology).
     
     
      Part
      of
      the
      course
      work
      in-
     
     
      volved
      an
      essay
      question
      on
     
     
      the
      concept
      of
      culture.
      Con-
     
     
      fused
      by
      the
      question,
      Rachel
     
     
      approached
      her
      professor,
      Dr.
     
     
      Holbrook
      for
      help.
      Still
      un-
     
     
      sure
      of
      the
      concept
      Rachel
      then
     
    
   
   
    
     
      SULC
      VL
      ULS
      VULILU
      PE
      Nau
      Ud
     
     
      approached
      a
      second
      profes-
     
     
      sor
      in
      the
      Sociology/Anthro-
     
     
      pology
      department
      for
      help-
     
     
      Dr.
      Wolf
      offered
      his
      view
      on
     
     
      the
      subject
      and
      lent
      Rachel
     
     
      two
      books
      on
      the
      subject.
     
     
      After
      his
      meeting
      with
     
     
      Rachel,
      Wolf
      was
      approached
     
     
      by
      Holbrook
      who
      stated
      that
     
     
      Wolf's
      “behaviour
      constituted
     
    
   
   
    
     
      “an
      unwarranted
      intrusion
      into
     
    
   
   
    
     
      his
      class,
      and
      as
      such,
      was
     
     
      both
      unprofessional
      and
     
     
      uncollegial.”
     
    

    
     
      On
      the
      afternoon
      of
     
     
      October
      31,
      1995
      Rachel
      once
     
     
      again
      sought
      Wolf's
      help.
     
     
      According
      to
      Rachel,
     
     
      Holbrook
      had
      given
      her
      a
      fail-
     
     
      ing
      mark
      because
      she
      had
     
     
      asked
      another
      professor
      for
     
     
      help.
     
    

    
     
      No
      where
      in
      the
      rules
     
     
      of
      the
      university
      does
      is
      state
     
     
      that
      a
      student
      may
      not
      seek
     
    
   
   
    
     
      help
      from
      another
      professor.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      According
      to
      a
      letter
     
     
      Wolf
      wrote
      to
      Dr.
      Elizabeth
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      Epperly,
      President
      of
      UPEI
      in
     
    
   
   
    
     
      March
      of
      1996,
      he
      had
      had
      a
     
     
      meeting
      with
      Dr.
      Satadal
     
     
      Dasgupta,
      Chair
      of
      the
      Sociol-
     
     
      ogy/Anthropology
      Depart-
     
     
      ment,
      where
      Dasgupta
      had
     
     
      asked
      Wolf
      to
      divorce
      himself
     
     
      from
      the
      concerns
      of
      Rachel
     
     
      MacDonald.
     
    

    
     
      In
      the
      Sociology/An-
     
     
      thropology
      departmental
     
     
      meeting
      held
      November
      1,
     
     
      1995
      “Holbrook
      reported
      an
     
     
      item
      he
      viewed
      as
      both
      indi-
     
     
      vidual
      and
      immediate
      concern:
     
     
      the
      fact
      that
      one
      of
      his
      stu-
     
     
      dents
      had
      sought
      and
      received
     
     
      guidance
      writing
      a
      paper
      for
     
     
      Holbrook,
      from
      a
      professor
      in
     
     
      Soc-Anth
      in
      lieu
      of
      Holbrook,
     
     
      without
      indication
      to
     
     
      Holbrook.
      After
      some
      discus-
     
     
      sion,
      it
      was
      agreed
      that
      each
     
     
      professor
      contribute
      rules
      for
     
     
      professional
      conductto
      be
      con-
     
     
      sidered
      at
      a
      future
      meeting.”
     
    

    
     
      The
      whole
      ordeal
      was
     
     
      more
      than
      Rachel
      could
      han-
     
     
      dle
      and
      within
      two
      weeks
      of
     
     
      receiving
      a
      mark
      of
      49%
      on
      a
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ars
      nee
      me
      atten
     
    
   
   
    
     
      paper,
      her
      manic
      depression
     
     
      took
      over
      and
      she
      was
      hospi-
     
     
      talised.
      Rachel
      felt
      she
      had
     
     
      failed
      because
      she
      had
      dared
     
     
      ask
      another
      professor
      for
      help.
     
     
      The
      stress
      of
      the
      ordeal
      was
     
     
      too
      much
      for
      her-she
      suffered
     
     
      a
      mental
      breakdown.
     
    

    
     
      Two
      of
      the
      student
      reps
     
     
      at
      the
      meeting
      that
      discussed
     
     
      whether
      or
      not
      it
      is
      appropri-
     
     
      ate
      for
      a
      student
      to
      ask
      another
     
     
      professor
      for
      help
      wrote
      let-
     
     
      ters
      to
      the
      President
      of
      the
     
     
      university
      to
      voice
      their
      con-
     
     
      cern
      over
      the
      “student
      rules
      of
     
     
      conduct”.
      One
      rep
      felt
      that
     
     
      Holbrook
      had
      tried
      to
      force
     
     
      his
      views
      on
      her
      and
      that
      she
     
     
      did
      not
      think
      it
      “...democratic,
     
     
      for
      Holbrook
      to
      present
      his
     
     
      case
      and
      demand
      something
     
     
      be
      done
      about
      it
      without
      hav-
     
     
      ing
      heard
      from
      Prof.
      Wolf,
      the
     
     
      other
      professor
      involved,
      and
     
     
      Rachel
      MacDonald,
      the
      stu-
     
     
      dent.”
      ;
     
     
      The
      second
      student
      rep
     
     
      at
      the
      meeting
      felt
      that
      these
     
    
   
   
    
     
      >
      <<,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘rules
      of
      conduct’
      “would
      in-
     
     
      fringe
      on
      students’
      academic
     
     
      freedom.”
     
    

    
     
      According
      to
      Michael
     
     
      Drake,
      a
      third
      Soc/Anth
      stu-
     
     
      dent
      who
      was
      at
      the
      meeting,
     
     
      the
      rules
      never
      surfaced.
     
     
      Drake
      said
      that
      the
      student
      reps
     
     
      who
      were
      at
      the
      meeting
      dis-
     
     
      cussed
      their
      views
      with
      the
     
     
      professors
      and
      so
      the
      idea
      to
     
     
      form
      rules
      was
      dropped.
      When
     
     
      asked
      if
      there
      were
      any
      prob-
     
     
      lems
      in
      the
      department
      Drake
     
     
      responded
      that
      “if
      there
      was
     
     
      any
      problem
      within
      the
      de-
     
     
      partment,
      believe
      me,
      I
      would
     
     
      tell
      you
      about
      it.”
     
    
   
   
    
     
      “Missed
      Exam”
     
     
      Unfortunately
      for
      stu-
     
     
      dents
      in
      the
      department
      of
     
     
      Sociology/Anthropology
      this
     
     
      was
      not
      the
      only
      incident
      of
     
     
      concern.
      The
      final
      examina-
     
     
      tion
      for
      Anthropology
      211
     
     
      scheduled
      for
      Thursday,
      De-
     
     
      cember
      14,
      1995
      never
      took
     
     
      place.
      The
      professor
      did
      not
     
    
   
   
    
     
      show
      up.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      [there
      is
      a|
     
     
      history
      of
      some
     
     
      difficulty
      within
     
     
      the
      department.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Students
      showed
      up
      for
     
     
      the
      exam
      only
      to
      find
      that
      there
     
     
      was
      no
      professor,
      no
      proctor,
     
     
      and
      no
      exam.
      After
      twenty
     
     
      minutes
      calls
      were
      placed
      to
     
     
      the
      secretary
      of
      the
      depart-
     
     
      ment
      but
      she
      was
      not
      in
      and
     
     
      there
      was
      no
      call
      forwarding
     
     
      in
      place;
      so
      students
      left
      the
     
     
      exam
      room
      and
      went
      to
      the
     
     
      registrars
      office
      where
      they
     
     
      were
      told
      to
      go
      home
      and
      that
     
     
      someone
      would
      contact
      them.
     
    

    
     
      One
      student
      relates
      the
     
     
      phone
      call
      her
      parents
      received
     
     
      from
      Dasgupta,
      the
      Chair
      of
     
     
      the
      Department,
      ina
      letter
      to
     
     
      President
      Epperly.
      The
      stu-
     
     
      dent
      who
      asked
      that
      her
      name
     
    
   
   
    
     
      not
      be
      mentioned
      until
      her
     
     
      graduation
      from
      the
      univer-
     
     
      sity,
      stated
      that
      the
      phone
      call
     
     
      left
      her
      parents
      visibly
      upset
     
     
      and
      believing
      that
      if
      she
      did
     
     
      not
      just
      agree
      to
      what
      ever
     
     
      terms
      Dr.
      Dasgupta
      suggested,
     
     
      that
      he
      could
      compromise
      her
     
     
      graduation
      in
      some
      manner.
     
     
      The
      student
      further
      states
      that
     
     
      she
      was
      furious
      with
     
     
      Dasgupta’s
      actions,
      “I
      believe
     
     
      that
      as
      an
      adult
      any
      options
      or
     
     
      comments....should
      have
      been
     
     
      directed
      to
      me
      not
      my
      elderly
     
     
      parents.
      I
      have
      always
      been
     
     
      under
      the
      assumption
      that
      the
     
     
      contract
      is
      between
      this
      Uni-
     
     
      versity
      and
      myself...”
     
    

    
     
      Although
      Dr.
      Epperly
     
     
      did
      call
      and
      apologize
      the
      next
     
     
      day,
      the
      student
      felt
      that
      the
     
     
      apology
      should
      have
      come
     
     
      from
      Dasgupta,
      not
      the
      Presi-
     
     
      dent
      of
      the
      University.
     
    

    
     
      This
      letter
      is
      not
      the
      only
     
     
      letter
      of
      complaint
      that
      the
     
     
      President
      has
      received
      from
      a
     
     
      student
      in
      the
      Soc/Anth
      de-
     
     
      partment.
      In
      a
      letter
      to
      the
     
     
      President
      from
      Martha
     
     
      Martinic*,
      a
      student
      rep
      for
     
     
      the
      department,
      Martinic
      states
     
     
      that
      “We
      [students]
      are
      very
     
     
      troubled
      about
      the
      profes-
     
     
      sional,
      or
      should
      I
      say,
      un-
     
     
      professional
      conduct
      of
      cer-
     
     
      tain
      professors.
      The
      politick-
     
     
      ing
      and
      personal
      vendettas
     
     
      between
      professors
      within
      the
     
     
      sociology/anthropology
      de-
     
     
      partment
      is
      affecting
      the
      stu-
     
     
      dents.”
     
    

    
     
      The
      issue
      of
      Rachel
     
     
      MacDonald
      as
      well
      as
      her
     
     
      opinion
      of
      the
      “student
      rules
     
     
      of
      conduct”
      as
      an
      intrusion
      on
     
    
   
   
    
     
      students
      academic
      freedom,
      .
     
    
   
   
    
     
      were
      also
      referred
      to
      by
     
     
      Martinic.
     
    

    
     
      Also
      in
      her
      letter:
      to
     
     
      Epperly,
      Martinic
      mentioned
     
     
      that
      “‘{I]
      strongly
      believe
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      only
      way
      we
      can
      begin
      to
     
     
      repair
      this
      departments
      repu
      3
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Continued
      on
      Page
      4
     
     
      Digging
     
    
   
   
    
     
      aoe