Barry-Figueroa, Shu I in an Denied Tenure
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Volume 14, Number 1 College at Lincoln Center, Fordham University, New York September 26, 1990 Rodney Marriott, Barry-Figueroa, Shu I in an Adjunct Instructor Dies Denied Tenure By Jennifer Berge Adjunct Instructor in .Theatre/Drama B. Reasons Unknown Rodney Marriott, 52, died on September 9 at the Woodlands Nursing Home in Calcutta, India. He was scheduled to teach a seminar on auditioning By Diane Barracca might be voting for the right or wrong reasons. technique for the Theatre Program beginning Two professors fronrthc-€ollege at Lincoln One has to give people the benefit of the doubt." September 17, and wrote a letter to the depart- Center's Social Sciences division — Dr. Janis Dr. Harris strongly denied that personal or ment shortly before his death with an assignment Barry Figueroa and Dr. Dennis Shulman - were divisional politics played any role in the tenure for his class. denied tenure by the University Tenure Review review committee's decision to deny Dr. Committee at the end of the Spring 1990 Shulman and Dr. Barry tenure. Professor Marriott was in Calcutta directing semester. Now, unless the decision is overturn- "The Rainmaker" for Arts America, a cultural "Absolutely not." Dr. Harris maintained. "It ed by the Tenure and Reappointment Appeals program of the United States Information Agen- was a rigorous committee, but certainly a Committee, both Dr. Barry and Dr. Shulman cy. His distinguished theatre career was based scrupulously fair committee." must leave Fordham University'by the end of this in the Circle Repertory Company, where he serv- An important aspect of the tenuring process academic year. ed as associate artistic director and literary is that the deliberations and recommendations of manager. His most recent achievement at Cir- When faculty members are hired, their initial the members of UTRC are strictly confidential. cle Rep was "Amulets Against the Dragon contracts with Fordham are generally for two So confidential that in fact, the candidates that Forces," a new play by Paul Zindel. Matt years, according to Dr. Gerald Quinn, Dean of were denied tenure are unsure themselves exactly McGrath, a College at Lincoln Center theatre stu- die College at Lincoln Center. Following a "pro- why their applications were rejected. dent, was featured in that production. bationary period" in which there are periodic "The process is a very strange one," Dr. reviews and renewals of the contract by the Shulman said. "I don't know, Janis doesn't Professor Marriott taught acting and audition- University, faculty members usually apply for know, why we were denied tenure. We do know ing technique at CLC since 1984. His past tenure in their sixth year at Fordham. we didn't have the opportunity to respond to any mainstage productions at CLC included'"The critique. We can only guess at the reasons." Fifth of July," "Crimes of the Heart," and The primary purpose of tenure is to provide "Rimers of Eldritch," which he directed last teachers with "academic freedom" and "No one was able to say, 'He was denied year. According to 'Assistant Professor of "economic security," as explained in the Dr. Janis Barry-Figueroa tenure because of this,' " Dr. Shulman con- Theatre/Drama Rick Lombardo, who was also American Association of University Professors' tinued. ' 'There were some vague rumors about Co-Director of the Theatre Program last year, 1940 Statement of Principals. questions about my research methodology, and Professor Marriott was to direct CLC's third Granting a faculty member tenure is a serious given department or division. it (really disturbed me that there was no place in mainstage production this year, "A View From step by the University, Dean Quinn explained, "If the tenuring of an individual will put the the tenuring process for me to respond to these the Bridge." Gilliam Goll has been hired as an because those who receive tenure are then able division over sixty percent tenured faculty, and accusations." adjunct instructor to assume Professor Marriott's to effectively hold on to their positions "for life.'' if the recommendations of the division and of the "The reasons for my denial of tenure as pro- courseload, although it has not been determined At present, there is a mandatory retirement age dean are favorable, the application is referred to vided to me by the Academic Vice President are who will direct that show. of seventy, at which the faculty member gives the University Tenure Review Committee," extremely vague by anyone's interpretation," up tenure and can stay on as an adjunct, but prior Dean Quinn said. Dr. Janis Barry Figueroa stated. "I and many Professor Lombardo noted how "shocked and to that time it is very difficult to remove a tenured The University Tenure Review Committee in my department are very unclear as to what saddened" the faculty and students were at his faculty member unless they decide to leave volun- (UTRC) is made up of ten tenured faculty standards I did not meet." sudden passing in a telephone interview on Fri- tarily, he added. members from both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center day. He said that Marriott was a "significant Candidates for tenure are evaluated on their who are elected by the Facutly Senate and who theatrical artist" who was excited that his career serve three year terms. was taking him around the world to work. He educational background, performance as a According to Fordham's tenure policy, the described him as someone who "liked working teacher, research and publication, professional UTRC "shall recommend tenure only in rare with the young people" in contrast to working and public service, and contribution 4,0 the s University>and to their division. cases and for compelling reasons when it is clear- in the professional world. ly demonstrated that an exception to the tenure '- Professor Marriott received a B.A. from Yale Dr. Janis Barry Figueroa is presently an assis- tant professor of economics at the College at Lin- limitation is justified." But what actually con- University where he was graduated inagna cum stitutes "rare" and "compelling" is one ques- laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He previously taught coln Center. She is co-author and editor of Hispanics in the Labor Force: An Introduction tion that many faculty at Fordham University at New York University and the New School for seem to have difficulty answering. Social Research. He is survived by his mother to Issues and Approaches , and has been award- "When you say rare and compelling, of Sara Marriott, who lives in Brazil. ed two faculty research grants from Fordham as well as a grant from the Inter-University Program course, what you're talking about is something for Latino Research and Social Science Research which is really beyond the normal criteria for Council (IUP/SSRC) for her studies of women tenure," stated Dr. Frederick Harris^ who head- and minorities in the work force. ed UTRC last year and is a Professor of French Dr. Barry has presented her findings on labor and Comparative Literature at CLC. 3 USG Officers force participation by minority women at According to Dr. Anne Mannion, Chairper- seminars at the Massachusetts Institute of son of the Social Sciences Division, "Neither Technology, at meetings of the American Studies term is thoroughly defined, and how one's peers Association and at the National Puerto Rican decide that one is not just tenurable but rare and Resign Forum conference on Building Tomorrow's compelling beyond a certain point I just can't Workforce. Dr. Barry received a Ph.d in answer, because it's in the heads of the people By John Gardella economics from the New School for Social who made the judgement." Three United Student Government (USG) of- Research in June 1983. Dr. Shulman, one of the two applicants who ficers have resigned citing job restrictions as the Dr. Dennis Shulman is an assistant professor were denied tenure by UTRC, expressed his con- cause, said USG President Louis DeLaPrida. of psychology, and President of the Society for cern with the "subjectivity" of the "rare and Dr. Dennis Shulman Jennifer Dohrmann, Junior, Traditional Vice the Advancement of Quantitative Research in compelling" standard. President; Mike Dentato, Senior, Secretary; and Psychoanalysis. Dr. Shulman's theories and "It really makes me nervous for the Univer- Stephen O'Donnell, Junior , Treasurer, tendered research on the causes of narcissism have been sity, because it is such a subjective term, and "Assuming I have met the standards in terms their resignations August 30. All three students presented at the American Psychological therefore could be abused very badly, " he said. are Residential Assistants (RA) at the Lucerne. of scholarship, publications, teaching and ser- Association's (APA) annual convention and were "It could be abused, for example, in cases of vice, I do think there is a question here of in- O'Donnell said the RA job requires that you published in APA's psychoanalytical journal. discrimination, given that there's not any one par- limit extra-curricular activity to fifteen hours per adequate acknowledgement of Scholarship on Dr. Shulman was also selected to host several ' ticular standard by which one can be judged." women and people "of color, which is the kind week. episodes of a nationally televised PBS series call- O'Donnell said he, Dohrmann and Dentato of scholarship I do," Dr. Barry said. "There is ed "Abnormal Psychology: The Telecourse," "... it is somewhat perplex- the distinct possibility that the kind of work I do decided to attempt to balance both jobs but even- scheduled to air in 1991. He received his Ph.d tually realized they could not manage both ing and ironic that I am the is just not being adequately rewarded or from Harvard and has served as the Social acknowledged.