Appendix — Jiminez v. Mary Washington College
Supreme Court brief1995
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N53 96 SEP 7 1995
on Cherri OF THE CLERK
Supreme Court Of The United States
OCTOBER TERM, 1995
ANTHONY E. JIMINEZ,
Petitioner,
MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE;
PHILIP HALL,
Respondents.
PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI
THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
APPENDIX TO PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
Sa’ad Ei-Amin, Esquire
E1-AMIN & CRAWFORD, P.C.
4221 Chamberlayne Avenue
Richmond, Virginia 23227
(804) 264-237
Counsel for Petitioner
App. 1
PUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
ANTHONY E. JIMINEZ,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
Vv. Record No. 94-1776
MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE; PHILIP
HALL,
Defendants-Appellants.
ANTHONY E. JIMINEZ,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
. Record No. 94-1802
MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE; PHILIP
HALL,
Defendants-Appellees.
Appeals from the United States District
Courtfor the Eastern District of
Virginia, at Richmond.Richard L.
Williams, Senior District Judge.
(CA-93-459)
Argued: March 8, 1995
Decided: June 9, 1995
App. 2
Before WELKINS and HAMELTON, Circuit
Judges, and PHILLIPS, Senior Circuit
Judge.
Reversed by published opinion. Judge
Hamilton wrote the opinion, in which
Judge Wilkins and Senior Judge Phillips
joined.
JIMINEZ V. MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE
COUNSEL
ARGUED: Guy Winston Horsley, Jr., Senior
Assistant Attorney General, OFFICE OF THE
AT7ORNEY GENERAL, Richmond, Virginia, for
Appellants. Sa’ad El-Amin, EL-AMIN
& ‘CRAWFORD, P.C., Richmond, Virginia, for
Appellee. ON BREEF: James S. Gilmore,
lll, Attorney General of Virginia, OFFICE
OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, Richmond,.
Virginia, for Appellants.
OPINION
HAMILTON, Circuit Judge:
Anthony Jiminez (Jiminez), a black
professor from Trinidad, West Indies,
instituted suit pursuant to Title VH of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, see 42
U.S.C.A. §§ 2000e-2000e-17 (West 1994),
and 42 U.S.C.A. §§ 1981, 1983 (West
1994), against Mary Washington College
a eat tail sac aaie
App. 3
and Philip Hall (Hall), Vice President of
Mary Washington College - (collectively
MWC), for alleged employment
discrimination based on race and national
origin. According to Jiminez, he was
impermissibly given a terminal contract
instead of remaining in a tenure-track
teaching position. Following a bench
trial, the district court rendered
judgment in favor of Jiminez, ruling that
he had established a prinw facie case of
race and national origin discrimination,
and he had demonstrated MWC’s proffered
reason for the adverse action was
pretextual and unworthy of credence. MWC
appeals, contending that the district
court effed in sxuling in favor of
Jiminez, and Jiminez cross-appeals,
asserting that the damages are
inadequate. Concluding that the factual
App. 4
findings of the district court are
clearly erroneous, we reverse. Given our
disposition, Jiminez’ cross-appeal is
moot.
Jiminez applied for an assistant
professorship in the Department of
Economics at MWC on March 4, 1989. In
connection with his appli-
cation, Jiminez represented that he would
receive his doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in
economics in June of 1989 from the
University of New Mexico. A divided
Economics Department extended Jiminez an
offer, even though he was not the most
qualified applicant; he only met MWC’s
minimal standards. The department was-
split in its decision to offer Jiminez a
position since he garnered inauspicious
evaluations at the University of New
ist AEE, CANALES
App. 5
Mexico. Despite this knowledge, MWC
offered Jiminez the position because the
college was seeking to increase the
number of blacks on its faculty. To a
degree, therefore, Jiminez was hired
because he was black. By letter dated
August FP 1989, William Anderson
(Anderson), President of MWC, notified
Jimninez of MWC's offer, expressly
explaining that Jiminez’ appointment was
“contingent upon [his] being granted [his
Ph.D.] by August 16, 1989." (J.-A. at
496). This contingency reflected MWC’s
policy applicable to Jiminez that
professors seeking tenure have terminal
degrees, as rxeflected in the faculty
handbook, which provided that for
consideration for promotion to assistant
professor “(plossession of the
appropriate earned terminal degree, in
App. 6
most cases, the Doctorate in one’s
discipline (in unusual circumstances,
equivalent professional achievement)" was
necessary. id. at §1 1.° fms, co
extension of the offer, Jiminez was aware
Ce ee
that obtaining his Ph.D. was necessary
for promotion. In this respect, Jiminez’
offer differed from that of his colleague
in the Economics Department, Professor
Steve Greenlaw (Greenlaw), because
according to the 1982 faculty handbook in
effect when Greenlaw was hired, attaining
a terminal degree was not a prerequisite
for advancement. Thus, Greenlaw was
given tenure even though he did not
obtain a terminal degree until 1986.
As a nontenured professor seeking
tenure, Jiminez was subject to a six-year
probationary period after which he could
be awarded tenure. Consistent with MWC’s
App. 7
procedures, Jiminez initially was awarded
a one-year contract as a newly-hirxred,
tenure-track faculty member. Subsequent
to his initial year, 4 tenure-track
faculty member can be awarded a two-year
contract, followed by 4 three-year con-
tract, provided, of course, his
performance satisfied MWC’S standards.
Following successful completion of the
three-year contract, 4 faculty member
could be considered for tenure. If a
tenure-track professor is not considered
for further advancement because of
unsatisfactory performance, however, MWC
grants him a one-year terminal contract,
which expires at the texmination of the
academic year.
Tenure is based largely on teacher
evaluations. The faculty at MWC is
evaluated annually according to three
App. 8
criteria: (1) teaching effectiveness; (2)
service to MWC; and (3) scholarship or
professional activity. Of these
criteria, teaching effectiveness is
paramount and is based largely on
evaluations from students, the department
chairman, and other faculty within the
department. Scholarship or professional
activity includes publication or
presentation of scholarly works.
After his first semester of
teaching, MWC evaluated Jiminez’ per-
formance on February 22, 1990. This
evaluation was a compendium of faculty
observations, student course ratings, and
the annual Faculty Activities Report.
The gist of this initial evaluation was
that Jiminez’ skills as a professor were
lacking, but his personal fortitude was
commendable. Specifically with respect
POT ed
Leche ements aah tata aae
App. 9
to the tenure criteria, this evaluation
concluded: (1) Concerning teaching
effectiveness, "“{sltudents were critical
of the clarity and loudness of his voice,
his speaking to the chalk board instead
of the class, poorly worded tests, and
covering material too fast." These
negative conclusions were countered by
the generic observation that they were
"shortcomings any new teacher is bound to
have, and are things easily corrected by
experience." Additionally, Jiminez was
“praised ... for caring about his
students, holding review sessions,
encouraging questions, and taking the
time to make sure students understood the
material." Id. at 512. (2) Regarding
service to MWC, Jiminez was rated highly
for his participation in college
organizations. (3) Respecting
Se
App. 10
scholarship, the evaluation admonished
that Jiminez’ “major focus for the
immediate future must be completion of
his dissertation." Id. (emphasis added).
Significantly, Jtiminez neither protested
nor contradicted the initial evaluation’s
conclusions.
On April . 2, 1991, MWC again
evaluated Jiminez’ performance, this
evaluation again being an amalgam of the
faculty - observations, student course
ratings, and the annual Faculty
Activities Report Focusing on the three
primary criteria for tenure, this second
MWC evaluation concluded: (1) With
respect to teaching effectiveness, the
evaluation reported that while Jiminez
was dedicated, his “student evaluation
scores [were] below average for both the
[Economics] Department and College-wide
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App. ll
faculty," but expressing the hope that
time would cure this failure. Id. at
514. (2) With respect to service-,
Jiminez again rated highly; and (3) With
respect to scholarship, the evaluation
observed that Jiminez had attended
various meetings. As with the initial
MWC evaluation’, Jiminez conspicuously
took no exception to the conclusions, nor
did he request consideration for a merit
award.
B.
Despite a recurrent history of poor
evaluations, Jiminez managed to muster
some support at MWC: various students
wrote letters and met with Hall on
Jiminez’ behall The crux of these letters
was that Jiminez was 4 caring man and a
good professor. According to Jiminez,
and as found by the district court, some
App. 12
of these letters suggested that Jiminez
was the victim of a concerted effort of
racial discrimination by some MWC
students to have him terminated via poor
teacher evaluations. For example, a
letter from former student Laura Kasley
(Kasley) xecited:
It is my understanding that several
students have either given Mr. Jiminez
poor evaluations, or have written nega-
tive letters of complaint concerning his
teaching Last semester (Fall 91), 1
witnessed, on evaluation day, a col-
laborative effort on the part of the
majority of the students to give Mr.
Jiminez a poor evaluation It is my
opinion that the students in this class,
who gave Mr. Jiminez poor evaluations,
did not take the time required by the
course to fully understand the material.
App. 13
Since the first day of classes, Mr.
Jiminez forewarned us to ask him to
repeat himself if we couldn’t understand
his accent.... I have acclimated to his
accent and find no trouble understanding
him. Id. at 471-72. At trial, Kasley
testified as to the allegedly collusive
conduct of some students:
Well, it was basically that they were
laughing and saying, Yeah, xight, this
is, you know, one way, and things like
this, to give him the lowest possible
score, and I didn’t say anything .--- 1
am not sure why many of the students in
economics class gave Mr. Jiminez
poor evaluations, and I question if
they knew what they were setting in
motion by doing so; 1 don‘t think that
these evaluations should be taken in
App. 14
{sic]) consideration. (ae a FF
Kasley testified further that her
opinion of Jiminez was grounded in the
fact that he helped her personally a
great deal with her work and was
accommodating of her schedule.
Critically, Kasley testified that
students expressed their displeasure
with Jiminez’ teach-ing abilities prior
to their evaluations, which was not an
uncommon occurrence.
A letter from Rachel Holland
(Holland) xeported that “Part of the
problem lies with a small group of
bigotted [sic] individuals that were in
the ... class that I took last semester
Comments like, ‘Let’s give him
{poor ] reviews’ echoed around’ the
Classroom, in a situation that was not
supposed to be a collective effort." Id.
OD beg te FD Few TEX .
Paes Beets
Lad dyer able ile Attar Sie ace tas
App. 15
at 479. Holland’s testimony is equivocal
hat she stated that "all" students
in t
collaborated on giving Jiminez
evaluations, but later amended her
testimony to reflect that the number of
students was approximately ten, nox is
there an ascription to the term
"bigoted. " Condemning these students for
asking “irritating questions," Holland
opined that these students “decided to
thrash Professor Jiminez down" on
realizing "that they might not be
receiving that ‘ysual A.“’ Id. Comporting
with Kasley’s testimony, Holland
testified that she understood Jiminez was
slated for a one-year terminal contract
prior to the allegedly collusive student
evaluations.
Former student Cassendra Thomas
“{a) few negative
(Thomas ) wrote that
App. 16
letters state ‘Hire a professor who
speaks english.’ This is discrimination
in its truest form." Id. at 481. Nicole
Dixon, a student of Jiminez’, on being
asked at trial if she considered that his
student evaluations were racially
motivated, responded that they were:
Because comments were made about the way
that Professor Jiminez looked. I had
other econ classes with the same stu-
dents. It’s a small department, so we
all kind of take the same classes. And
the level of respect for any professor, I
don’t care who it is, it just was not
there for him. He come [sic] into class,
and they [sic] would be utter chaos. He
would give lectures, and they wouid try
to knock Suen down. And you go to another
professor’s class, you didn’t have to
deal with stuff like that.
Lae esbetiiss vee eae
“ipche is: a, ta ag
App. 17
Id. at 68. Student Kristina Bielak
stated that while Jiminez had “an odd
sense of humor,"’ she could "not help but
wonder if the problems certain people
ha(d) with [Jiminez]) might be prejudice
to some degree for I found him to be a
rather competent instructor." Id. at 482.
Professor Carole Corcoran on March 30,
1992, wrote to Hall stating that "subtle
racism" should be taken into account in
evaluating Jiminez’ faculty and student
evaluations. While the instructors in
the Economics Department did not attend
Jiminez’ classes, a professor from
another department attended some of
Jiminez’ classes and gave a positive
critique.
In addition to writing letters, six
students (Six Students) went to see Hall
on April 28, 1992, regarding the alleged
App. 18
"conspiracy" against Jiminez. In his
notes on the meeting with these students,
Hall wrote "Race. Accent. Mannerisms.
Students here are not tolerant," id. at
49-2, and he testified that students
“wanted to remind me that there was a
possibility that the students had done
this because of his race and his national
origin, although there wasn’t anything in
the behavior itself that was racial," id
at 335. Given that there was no evidence
of racial animus and student evaluations
are anonymous, Hall did not conduct an
investigation into the allegation that
some students had decided to target
Jiminez for a terminal contract based on
an invidious motive.
Cc.
On February 26, 1992, MWC completed
Jiminez’ third evaluation. Consistent
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App. 19
with the two prior evaluations, this
evaluation recognized that Jiminez was
an ineffective professor whose teaching
ability failed to improve, was decidedly
‘substandard, which was, of course,
consonant with the unsatisfactory
evaluations he receiveu from students at
MWC. Particularly addressing the three
primary criteria for tenure, this
evaluation revealed: (1) Pertaining to
teaching effectiveness, “( Jiminez’j
teaching has been somewhat problematic
since his first semester at [MWC)."
while recognizing that Jitninez was
“conscientious " and "very hard working,
ultimately the evaluation concluded that
his teaching effectiveness was
negligible: students complained that
Jiminez was “disorganized, has
difficulty explaining concepts, gets
App. 20
confused .. . does not answer questions
well, does not cover much material in a
semester, has mystifying grading
standards, and ultimately, loses
‘control’ of the class. These
criticisms are also reflected in the
numerical scores on [{Jiminez’l course
evaluations, which are perennially low."
Id. at 517. This evaluation also noted
that Jiminez’ scores failed to meet the
department and college averages.
Despite his positive qualities, the
evaluation concluded, with respect to
his teaching effectiveness, that
Jiminez’ “performance has not met the
standard we expect for [MWC) faculty."
Id. (2) Concerning service, the
evaluation noted that again Jiminez was
an active participant in MWC life. (3)
Regarding scholarship, the evaluation
Pee oe iaeiliclinsAc Rie the idan ia AS en
_—"
App. 21
reported that while Jiminez had attended
two conventions, he failed to obtain his
Ph.D., despite the fact that fulfilling
this obligation was 4 prerequisite for
tenure and his employment was contingent
on this degree being awarded.
Consonant with this third
evaluation and Jiminez’ student evalua-
tions in general, the three tenured
members of the Economics Department,
Robert Rycroft (Rycroft), Greenlaw, and
Steve Stageberg, unanimously recommended
that Jiminez be given a one-year
terminal contract rather than considered
for tenure, specifically memorializing
the bases for their recommendation: (1)
For five semesters, students had
consistently given Jiminez poor
evaluations; (2) Jiminez failed to
a
receive his Ph.D.; (3) A self-conducted
App. 22
survey of the Economics Department
revealed that the primary weakness in
the department was the teaching quality
of specific instructors’, and of the
twenty responses, seventeen related
specifically to Jiminez’ shortcomings
and a negative comment revealed by the
survey concerned a course taught by
Jiminez that one faculty member
described as very weak and suggested
that students no longer take it; (4)
Jiminez had no faculty support; and (5)
Jiminez experienced difficulty
completing material.
(Five Students) protested to
Rycroft in April of 1991 when Jiminez
was substituted to teach a required
economics class that Greenlaw had taught
in the past. These students complained
that Jiminez was a wretched instructor,
errs
App. 23
predicting that the Economics Department
would suffer if Jiminez taught this
course. Confixming this opinion, for
five semesters, Jiminez’ student
evaluations were the lowest of the
approximately forty tenure-track faculty
members, and the one semester he was not
ranked the lowest, Jiminez ranked
thirty-seventh. In light of these
concerns, this evaluation recommended
that Jiminez be given a one-year
terminal contract rather than considered
for tenure.
D.
Despite three consistently
unfavorable college evaluations and five
semesters of unflattering student
evaluations, by the spring of 1992,
Jiminez’ student evaluations had
substantially improved, and this trend
App. 24
continued into the Fall of 1992 and the
spring of 1993. Thus, for the sixth,
seventh, and eighth semesters, Jiminez’
student evaluations improved. Jiminez
and the district court attributed this
improvement to the fact that the
students understood that no more
discriminatory collaboration would be
tolerated. MWC attributed this
unprecedented emendation to Jiminez’
students’ grades correspondingly,
dramatically improving and his class
enrollment being exceptionally small--
eleven students in 1992 and nine in
1993-as compared with the department
average of twenty-six students per
Class. Regardless of its source, this
progress, coupled with the letters and
visit by the Six Students to Hall,
prompted MWC to modify its
App. 25
recommendation of a terminal one-year
contract; accordingly, on May 22, 1993,
Hall offered Jiminez a terminal
contract, but invited him to reapply for
his position provided he satisfied four
conditions: (1) substantial improvement
in student evaluations; (2) favorable
, @valuations by colleagues in the
Economics Department as a result of
unannounced visits to his classes; (3)
defense of his doctorate dissertation;
and (4) presentation of a paper at an
economics conference. Despite the fact
that Jiminez was granted the opportunity
to reapply, Hall also explained the
reasons that Jiminez failed to remain on
the tenuretrack: (1) five semesters of
decidedly inferior student evaluations,
with a significant number of students
expressing their unhappiness with
App. 26
Jiminez; (2) failure to defend his
dissertation; Id (3) failure to produce
scholarly work.
E.
Jiminez declined to reapply, opting
instead to institute suit against MWC,
alleging that he was discriminated
against because of his race and national
origin. At the close of his case-in-
chief, MWC and Hall moved unsuccessfully
for judgment as a matter of law. The
district court concluded that Jiminez
had established a prima facie case of
race and national origin discrimination,
that MWC had rebutted it, but Jiminez
had demonstrated that MWC’s reasons for
not renewing his contract were both
pretextual and unworthy of credence.
The basis for the district court’s
conclusion that Jiminez rebutted MWC’s
App. 27
proffered reasons for issuing him a
terminal contract was the fact that
Greenlaw was oiven tenure even though he
did not receive his doctorate degree
until his fourth year at MWC, student
evaluations were "tainted by collusion
and racial and national Origin animus,"
and thus MWC should have ignored them
because of this taint, as well as
conducted an “in-depth investigation to
determine the extent of the taint." Id.
at 552. Rather than ignore the tainted
evaluations or conduct an investigation,
the district court found that MWC merely
solicited the opinion of the Five
Students that had complained to Rycroft
that Jiminez was incompetent. According
to the district court, therefore, MWC
knowingly relied on tainted information
in issuing Jiminez a terminal contract.
App. 28
Finding that Jiminez ultimately carried
his burden of proving that he was the
victim of invidious discrimination
“because he ha[d] proven both that
[MWC’s) ‘proffered explanation is
unworthy of credence,’ and that the
reasons given for the adverse action
were merely a pretext for
discrimination," the district court
entered judgment in his favor. Id. at
552. After making this finding, the
district court concluded that once MWC
offered Jiminez the position, even
though he was not the most qualified
candidate, MWC “made a committment to
protect [him] from racial and national
Origin animus." Id. at 549.
On appeal, MWC contends that
Jiminez was not the victim of invidious
discrimination, but was issued a
App. 29
terminal contract because he was an
incompetent professor, citing three
reasons: (1) he consistently received
poor student evaluations; (2) he
produced no scholarly work; and (3) he
failed to obtain his Ph.D. In advancing
this contention, MWC maintains that the
district court’s factual findings are
clearly erroneous, and, given this
erroneous predicate, the legal con-
clusions on which the facts are premised
are reversibly flawed.
Jiminez cross-appeals, asserting that
the $15,000 in compensatory
damages was inadequate.
ii.
A.
We commence with the premise that
while Title VH is available to aggrieved
professors, we review professorial
ee
App. 30
employment decisions with great
trepidation. See Fields vy. Clark Univ.,
966 F.2d 49, 54 (2-8 Cis, 1992), cert.
denied, 113 S. Ct. 976 (1993); Brousard-
Norcross v. Augustana College Ass'n, 935
F.2d 974, 975-76 (8th Cir. 1991);
Zahorik v. Cornel) Univ., 729 F.2d 85,
92-93 (2d Cir. 1984); Kunda v.
Muhlenberg College, 621 F.2d 532, 548
(3d Cir. 1980). we must be ever
vigilant in observing that we do not
"Sit as a ‘super personnel council’ to
review tenure decisions," Brousard-
Norcross, 935 F.2d at 976, always
cognizant of the fact that professorial
appointments necessarily involve
“subjective and scholarly judgments, "
with which we have been reluctant to
interfere, Smith v. University of North
Carolina, 632 F.2d 316, 345-47 (4th Cir.
App. 31
1980). Aptly articulating this rubric,
the Third Circuit cogently cautioned:
[Cjourts must be vigilant not to intrude
into [tenure] determination[s], and
should not substitute their judgment for
that of the college with respect to the
qualifications of faculty members for
promotion and tenure. Determinations
about such matters as teaching ability,
research.scholarship, and professional
stature are subjective, and unless they
can be shown to have been used as the
mechanism to obscure discrimination,
they must be left for evaluation by the
professional, particularly since they
often involve inquiry into aspects of
arcane scholarship beyond the competence
of individual judges.
Kunda, 621 F.2d at 548. The federal
courts have adhered consistently to the
App. 32
principle that they operate with
reticence and restraint regarding
tenure-type decisions. See, e.qg., Bina
v. Providence College, 39 F.3d 21, 26
(ist Cir. 1994), cert. denied, 115 S.
Ct. 1406 (1995); Lieberman v. Gant, 630
F.2d 60, 67 (2d Cir. 1980). Our review
is narrow, being limited to determining
“whether the appointment or pro-
motion was denied because of a
discriminatory reason." Smith, 632 F.2d
at 346. In other employment contexts,
we have explained that Title VII is not
a vehicle for substituting the judgment
of a court for that of the employer.
See EEOC v. Clay Printing Co., 955 F.2d
936, 946 (4th Cir. 1992) (noting that
the federal courts should “not.....
direct the business practices of any
company"). Title VU, therefore, is not
App. 33
a medium through which the judiciary may
impose professorial employment decisions
on academic institutions.
B.
1. Launched from this precept, we
now examine the procedural posture of
this case and our standard of review.
The district court concluded that
Jiminez established a prima facie case
of race and national origin
discrimination and thus proceeded to the
ultimate issue of whether an unlawful
animus or the proffered
nondiscriminatory reason for Jiminez’
failure to receive tenure constituted
the genuine reason for the adverse
action. See McDonnell Douglas Corp. v.
Green, 411 U.S. 7921) 802 (1973).
Although we express grave doubts with
respect to whether Jiminez established a
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
THE FOLLOWING PAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR FILMING:
App. 38
Mary’s, the fact-finder’s rejection of
the legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason
proffered by the defendant, coupled with
the elements of the prima facie case,
may permit the fact-finder to infer the
ultimate fact of invidious
discrimination with no additional proof
_of discrimination; however, the
plaintiff is not automatically entitled
to judgment because the fact-finder may
determine that the defendant’s
challenged conduct is pretextual, but
does not constitute invidious
discrimination. Accordingly, rejection
of the defendant’s proffered reason-
standing alone--Aoes not compel the
ultimate conclusion that the defendant
unlawfully discriminated against the
plaintiff, thus creating liability under
Title VH, but rather this factor may
App. 39
enter the calculus for determining this
conclusion. With respect to proving
whether the plaintiff has been the
victim of invidious discrimination under
the McDonnell Douglas paradigm, we
have opined that if-the employee was
hired and fired by the same person
within a relatively short time span .
. this fact creates a strong inference
that the employer’s stated reason for
acting against the employee is not
pretextual.... In short, employers who
knowingly hire workers within a
protected group seldom will be credibie
targets for charges of pretextual
firing. Proud v,. Stone, 945 F.2d 796,
798 (4th Cir. 1991). Here, the district
court misapplied St. Mary‘’s because it
held that Jiminez proved his ultimate
burden of demonstrating that he was the
App. 40
victim of invidious discrimination
because he Proved that MWC’s proffered
reason for issuing the terminal contract
was unworthy of credence and a pretext
for discrimination. Although the
district court misapplied the proper
legal Standard, our examination of the
record compels us to conclude that
Jiminez failed to Satisfy his ultimate
burden of proving he was the victim of
invidious discrimination.
ai MWC challenges the district
Courts conclusion that it issued a ter-.-
minal contract ‘to Jiminez because of
invidious discrimination based on race
and national origin, a conclusion
grounded in facts. Resolution of this
challenge entails an examination of the
manner in which facts were adduced by
the district court. According to MWC,
App. 41
the district court’s factual findings
are Clearly erroneous. In reviewing
factual findings, our scope of review is
particularly circumscribed, being
limited to determining whether the facts
as found by the district court are
clearly erroneous. See Anderson v. City
of Bessemer City, N.C, 470 U.S. 564, 573
(1985); Fed. R. Civ. P. 52(a).
Admonishing appellate courts that a
purpose of an appeal is not to exercise
plenary review of factual findings or
substitute their version of the facts
for that of the district court, see
Zenith Radio Corp. v. Hazeltine
Research, Inc., 395 U.S. 100, 123
(1969), the Court has explained that
11[{i}f the district court’s account of
the evidence is plausible in light of
the record viewed in its entirety, the
App. 42
court of appeals may not reverse it even
though convinced that had it been
sitting as the trier of fact, it would
have weighed the evidence differently, "
Anderson, 470 U.S. at 573-74. Facts are
conclusive on appeal, therefore, unless
they are plainly wrong. Being removed
in time and place from the trial, not
enjoying the advantage of five
testimony, or assessing the deportment
and credibility of witnesses, reviewing
courts tread gingerly in reviewing
facts. Jiminez, therefore, is well-
armed with the sword and buckler of Rule
52(a) in defending the district court’s
judgment to the extent MWC challenges
the factual findings.
App. 43
Our reservation, however, does not
compel the conclusion that factual
findings are so sacrosanct as to evade
review. See, e.q., Wileman v. Frank,
979 F.2d 30 (4th Cir. 1992) (concluding
that factual findings by the district
court in a Title VH suit were clearly
erroneous and accordingly reversing) ;
Lilly v. Harris-Teeter Supermarket, 842
F.2d 1496 (4th Cir. 1988) (same); Miller
v. Mercy Hosp., Inc., 720 F.2d 356 (4th
Cir. 1983) (same), cert. denied, 470
U.S. 1083 (1985). As the Anderson Court
explained, the district court may not
“insulate his fmdings from review" by
casting them as being grounded on
credibility determinations. Anderson,
470 U.S. at 575. We reverse a factual
finding as being clearly erroneous it,
“although there is evidence to support
App. 44
it, the reviewing court on the entire
evidence is left with the definite and
firm conviction that a mistake has been
committed." United States v. United
States Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. 364, 395
(1948). In concluding that the district
court has made a mistake, we tend to
focus on four avenues in which the
district court may go awry in arriving
at its factual findings: (1) the
district court labored under an improper
-yiew or misconception of the appropriate
legal standard; (2) the district court’s
factual determinations are not supported
by substantial evidence; (3) the
district court disregardéd substantial
evidence that would militate a
conclusion contrary to that reached; and
(4) the district court's conclusion is
contrary to the clear weight of the
App. 45
evidence considered in light of the
entire record. See Miller, 720 F.2d at
361. The result of this focus is to
channel our review “upon factfinding
processes rather than directly upon
fact-fmding results," id., which, of
course, comports with the Zenith Radio
Corp.-Anderson admonition that an appeal
not transform into a plenary trial by
which facts are adduced in the first
instance. Accordingly, MWC may assault
the citadel provided by Rule 52(a) by
demonstrating pitfalls in the avenue by
which the district court arrived -at its
factual findings. While Miller
categorized the various modes in which a
district court may clearly err in
adducing facts, we.do not intimate that.
these are the only modes that may give
rise to clear error. These observations
App. 46
being made, we proceed to analyze the
district court’s factual findings,
focusing on the issue of whether Jiminez
proved that the reason for his receipt
of a terminal contract was a pretext for
invidious discrimination and was the
genuine reason for MWC’s decision to
issue a one-year terminal contract.
MWC issued Jiminez a terminal
contract based on three reasons: (1)
consistently poor student evaluations;
(2) failure to obtain his Ph.D. ina
timely manner; and (3) failure to
produce scholarly work. ’
We address these reasons and the facts
on which they are premised seriatim.
A.
We first examine the district court’s
conclusions regarding the student
evaluations. First, the district court
App. 47
disregarded all save the last three
semesters of Jiminez’ student
evaluations, concluding that the first
five semesters’ evaluations were
tainted. Second, the district court
found that MWC knew of this taint.
1. The district court concluded
that the more favorable student evalu-
ations Jiminez received during his
sixth, seventh, and eighth semesters at
MWC constituted proof that his student
evaluations for the first five semesters
were tainted by the collusive effort of
some white students. According to the
district court, the student evaluations
for the sixth, seventh, and eighth
semesters are exclusively accurate
because various white students who had
given Jiminez poor evaluations real-
‘At oral argument, MWC represented that
"yd sia Qaeda Sab ad teeta na cata te Bal ets tune : : mags” 7%
pe
App. 48
even disregarding the student
evaluations, Jiminez would not have been
granted tenure because: (1) he had no
departmental support; (2) he failed to
obtain his Ph.D., (3) he had a negative
self-evaluation by the economics
department; and (4) he failed to cover
course material. We find that the
latter three reasons are subsumed by the
remaining two reasons — in the text
of the opinion.
by spring of 1992 that their collusion
in evaluating Jiminez would not be
tolerated. The district court,
therefore, disregarded completely
student evaluations for the fust five
semesters Jiminez was at MWC, i.e., all
of the evaluations reflecting that
Jiminez was a dismal instructor. We
conclude that the first five semesters’
App. 49
student evaluations were neither
tainted, nor should they have been
disregarded. |
The record does not support the
district court’s conclusion that the
first five semesters’ student
evaluations were tainted. One, the
“evidence” that the poor student
evaluations were tainted by a-
“conspiracy” motivated by -invidious
discrimination consists of the letters
and testimony from some students stating
that there was a collaborative effort
against Jiminez by some white students
to have him removed from tenure-track
status. These letters and testimony are
nothing but rank speculation and are far
too insubstantial to give rise to the
inference that for five semesters
Jiminez incurred poor student
App. 50
evaluations because of collusive
discrimination based on an unlawful
animus by some white students. This
“evidence” proves nothing, but merely
alludes to the assertion that some,
unnamed white students gave Jiminez poor
evaluations. Two, many of these letters
are undated and unsigned, speak in the
vaguest of genexalities, and are nothing
more than post hoc rationalizations for
what their authors desire them to be.
Moreover, an examination of these
letters and testimony does not
support a finding of invidious
discrimination. For instance, Thomas’
of the district court found that there
was an atmosphere of racial tension at
MWC. This finding was based largely on
the fact that in the 1991-92 academic
year, three black students received an
App. 51
anonymous death threat, but there was no
evidence that these threats were from
persons at the college, and in 1986-87,
MWC commissioned a report on affirmative
action, which recommended that
"sensitivity training" be implemented at
MWC, which action was taken prior to
Jiminez’joining the faculty. The
lisensitivity training" was implemented
primarily because another black faculty
member had received negative evaluations
allegedly because of her race. While
there may have been some racial tension
at MWC, there was not a pervasive
atmosphere of discrimination against
blacks. For example, President Anderson
raised the black student population from
three to twelve percent; Jiminez was
hired because he was black; MWC
sponsored a forum about the death
App. 52
threat; and MWC, which was over-
whelmingly white, subjected itself to
“sensitivity training."
letter reported that the statement “Hire
a professor who speaks English" was “the
truest form of discrimination." (J.A. at
481). We find this bald assertion
absurd-requiring that a professor speak
the native tongue in order to convey his
ideas is not any form of discrimination,
invidious or otherwise. This sentence
merely expresses the frustration of a
student stymied by a professor not
conversant in’ the language of his
students. This explanation comports
with Kasley’s testimony that Jiminez
himself recognized that he was difficult
to understand. We agree with the First
Circuit that “references to audience
difficulty in understanding [a Title VII
App. 53
professor seeking tenure] may reasonably
be interpreted as expressing a concern
about his ability to communicate to
students rather than discriminatory
animus based on ethnicity or accent."
Bina,, 39 F.3d at 26. Likewise, Hol-
land’s letter suggested that because
some white students wanted to give
Jiminez inferior evaluations, this was
motivated by invidious discrimination,
but there is nothing unlawfully
discriminatory about this ascription of
conduct. The letter and testimony by
Kasley stating that there was a
collective effort to give Jiminez poor
evaluations did not attribute any
alleged conspiracy to any form of
invidious discrimination. Rather,,
Kasley attributed the poor student
evaluations to students who “did not
App. 54
take the time required ... to fully
understand the material." (J.A. at 472)
(emphasis added). Further bolstering
this conclusion, Kasley testified that
“Iam not sure why many of the students
in... economics class gave Mr. Jiminez
poor evaluations, ... ." Id. (emphasis
added). Ultimately, Kasley opined that
Some students did not do well because
they did not work hard enough.
Harmonizing with this testimony,, former
part-time student Kathryn Meyers stated
that students critical of Jiminez were
likely “those that either talk to their
friends throughout class or those who
Simply choose not to attend the majority
of classes." Id. at 468. Bielak’s
letter is equally unavailing because it’
“wonder[(ed)" whether there “might” have
been prejudice against Jiminez, but it
App. 55
ascribed any possible prejudice to no
invidious motive. Id. at 482. Apart
from being mere speculation, these
observations do not demonstrate a
conspiracy or collusive effort against
Jiminez based on any form of invidious
discrimination. Similarly, Brown’s
testimony does not establish a
conspiracy motivated by an improper
racial animus. According to Brown,
Jiminez could not contxol his class, and
this lack of control led to “utter
chaos.“ As with the other evidence of
the “conspixracy," Brown’s testimony
reveals no invidious discrimination, but
at most that Jiminez lacked the capacity
to exert control. These students fail
to perceive that the majority of other.
students may have-and apparently did-fmd
Jiminez to be an abominable instructor.
App. 56
Succinctly put, this evidence is too
insubstantial to establish a
“conspiracy” to zenave Jimines from
tenure-track status, the impetus of
which was invidious discrimination.
Rather, one guiding force behind
Jiminez’ being issued a terminal
contract was that he was considered an
unsuitable instructor by MWC students as
reflected in five semesters of execrable
student evaluations. In subscribing to
this “conspiracy” theory, the district
court clearly effed.
The compelled conclusion,
therefore, is that the district court
erred in finding the first five
semesters’ student evaluations were
tainted, and thus properly disregarded,
because there was not substantial evi-
dence to support the finding that for
App. 57
five semesters the student evaluations
were tainted. The record conclusively
establishes that this evidence was
grossly insubstantial to permit the
conclusion that there was a conspiracy
to effect Jiminez’ employment status
based on invidious discrimination.
Moreover, the record does not establish
that all five semesters’ worth of
student evaluations should be disre-
garded. Even though the district court
found that all five semesters’ student
evaluations were tainted, it made no
specific fmdings with respect to each
semester, but merely engaged in a
wholesale dismissal of all evaluations
for Jiminez’ first five semesters at
MWC. We are disturbed by this dismissal
because many of the letters: recounting .
the collusive effort are undated, and
App. 58
the letters that are dated were from
April, May, and December of 1992, and do
not list specific dates, other than
1991, that the alleged collaboration
occurred. See Bina, 39 F.3d at 26.
Having concluded that there was
insubstantial evidence to support a
conspiracy theory based on tainted
student evaluations, the district court
erred in failing to consider the student
evaluations for the first five semesters
of Jiminez’ career at MWC because, as
the Eighth Circuit succinctly explained,
“student reaction is a legitimate,
nondiscriminatory factor on which to
evaluate tenure candidates." Brousard-
Norcross, 935 F.2d at 976; see also
Fields, 966 F.2d at 53-54 (using student
evaluations in reviewing denial-of-
tenure decision). The student
App. 59
evaluations that were disregarded
disclosed that Jiminez was an inferior
instructor, disorganized, confused,
experienced difficulty in explaining
concepts and answering questions, and
these student evaluations coincided with
the three evaluations conducted by MWC.
Additionally, the district court
appeared to conclude
that MWC issued Jiminez a terminal
contract based only on the fact that it
gave credence’ to the Five Students who
complained to: Rycroft, but Jiminez’
being issued a terminal contract was
based on a plethora of information, _
namely the student and N4WC evaluations.
Likewise, the district court
disregarded conflicting.testimony. For ,
instance, MWC elicited the testimony of
Chip Walker, a former student of
App. 60
Jiminez’, who stated that Jiminez was
ineffective and generally a poor
professor. In exievuatsg such testimony
from its calculus in determining whether
Jiminez was the victim of invidious
discrimination, the district court
clearly erred. See Wileman, 979 F.2d at
35 n.6; Hayes v. Invesco, Inc., 907 F.2d
853, 858 (8th Cir. 1990) (reversing the
district court’s factual finding with
respect to pretext in a discrimination
suit because the district court "failed
to consider . . . important evidence").
In crediting only the latter three
semesters’ evaluations, the district
court did not consider the fact that
during this time Jiminez awarded higher
grades or that his class size was
substantially smaller than average. The
district court disregarded this evidence
App. 61
because it “was not considered or even
available at the time the terminal
contract decision was made. * (J.A. at
548-49). This finding, however, is
erroneous for at least two reasons: One,
Hall knew of the poor student
evaluations; indeed, in his May 22, 1992
letter informing Jinines that he was
being given a terminal contract, Hall
mentioned the five semesters of negative
student evaluations, and Hall was privy
to the three MWC evaluations of Jiminez.
Two, this view of the evaluations
demonstrates MWC’s position that Jiminez
was an ineffective professor and his
latter evaluations were artificially
inflated because of the higher grades he
awarded and his shrinking class size, as
demonstrated by the May'22, 1992 letter,
which observed the “unusual and dramatic
App. 62
‘turnaround"’ in Jiminez’ student
evaluations. (J.A. at 523). Thus, the
district court made a factual finding
“without properly taking into account
substantial evidence to the contrary” in
reaching its decision. See Miller, 720
F.2d at 361 (factual findings of the
district court in a Title VII action
reversed as clearly erroneous because
they were not supported by substantial
evidence or were made without
considering substantial contrary
evidence).
Also, the district court found that only
these latter evaluations were
accurate because white students
“realized that such collusion would
not be tolerated." (J.A. at 546). There
is, however, no evidence that this
intolerance was conveyed or published so
App. 63
that white students were supposedly
apprised of it. Indeed, Brown stated
that the allegedly collusive student
evaluations were made subsequent to the
decision to issue Jiminez a one-year
terminal contract. We are, therefore,
“left with a definite and firm
conviction that a mistake has been com-
mitted" because the district court’s
findings with respect to the first five
semesters’ student evaluations were
neither supported by the record, nor was
contrary substantial evidence considered
in adducing the facts.
. We now turn our attention to
the district court’s fmding that MWC
knew the student evaluations were
tainted, yet failed to take any cor-
rective measures. While the district .
court found that Hall “accepted as true"
App. 64
what the Six Students told him
respecting Jiminez’ evaluaions, id.
at 544, this characterization of Hall’s
testimony is clearly
erroneous: Hall did not testify that
the poor student evaluations were
tainted by discrimination, but merely
that the Six Students “wanted to
remind me that there was a possibility
that the students had done this because
of his race and his national origin,
although the behavior they described
said nothing about race--there wasn’t
anything in the behavior itself that was
racial." Id. at 335 (emphasis added).
We are persuaded, therefore, that the
testimony does not support the finding
that Hall improperly relied on tainted
information in deciding to issue Jiminez
a terminal contract. See Miller, 720
i i Nh ig a
App. 65
F.2d at 364-68 (reversing a judgment in
favor of a Title VII plaintiff based,
inter alia, on the district court’s
misunderstanding testimony); see also
Briney v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 782 F.2d
585, 588-89 (6th Cir. 1986) (reversing
Judement as a matter of law ona
negligent design claim because the dis-
trict court misconstrued testimony).
Most revealingly, there his no evidence
that any alleged “conspiracy" influenced
MWC’s decision to ten-ninate Jiminez.
There is, therefore, no nexus between
the challenged conduct and the adverse
action. See Clay Printing Co., 955 F.2d
at 942-43. Contrary to the district
court’s factual finding,’ therefore, MWC
did not knowingly, improperly use
tainted evaluations in reaching its
decision to issue Jiminez a ten-ninal
App. 66
contract.
With respect to Jiminez’ failure to
obtain his Ph.D. and produce scholarly
work, the district court gave short
shrift to these reasons, merely reciting
that they were "pretextual as well" in
light of Greenlaw’s career at MWC.
Accordingly, the district court ruled
that Jiminez carried his ultimate burden
of demonstrating that he was the victim
of intentional, invidious race and
national origin discrimination: “because
he has proven both that [MWC’s)
‘proffered explanation is unworthy of
credence,‘ and that the reasons given
were merely a pretext for
discrimination.” (J.A. at 552). As
stated, we conclude that the district
court incorrectly applied St. Mary’s.
i i it -
— eee ale a
App. 67
We conclude further that
the factual premise upon which these
legal conclusions were rendered is
clearly erroneous.
Jiminez failed to obtain his Ph.D. by
August 16, 1989, and the August 3, 1989
letter informing Jiminez of the offer by
MWC expressly conditioned his employment
success at MWC on his obtaining a Ph.D.
This failure rendered Jiminez
unqualified because tenuretrack
professors were required to obtain a
terminal degree. While Jiminez
submitted a letter from the University
of New Mexico dated August 21, 1992,
stating that he had successfully
defended his dissertation, the letter
also explained-that Jiminez was “making
final editorial changes for the
submission of the complete
POPE IS SOS PEER EO LER St ea
App. 68
dissertation." Id. at 459. At oral
argument, the parties represented that
Jiminez had failed to obtain his Ph.D.
by the date of trial and failed to
answer our repeated inquiries as to
whether Jiminez had yet been awarded his
Ph.D. We, therefore, cannot determine
whether Jiminez achieved his terminal
degree. Regardless of when, if ever, he
obtained his Ph.D., he failed to do so
within the prescribed time, and his
employment was conditioned expressly on
his receiving his Ph.D. by August 16,
1989.
The district court, however, concluded
that Jiminez’ failure to obtain his
Ph.D. was mere pretext for:
discrimination because Greenlaw was at
MWC for four years before obtaining a
Ph.D., yet was not terminated... This
|
.
App. 69
fmding is flawed because when Greenlaw
was hired in 1982, having a Ph.D. was
not _ a requirement for promotion, whereas
when Jiminez was hired, it was.
Comparing Jiminez with Greenlaw is thus
not only inapt, see Bennun v. Rutgers
State Univ., 941 F.2d 154, 178 (3d Cir.
199 1), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 1066
(1992), but also disregards the
predicate and procedure under which each
was hired, see Parson v. Kaiser Aluminum
& Chem. Corp., 575 F.2d 13741) 1384
(Sth Cir. 1978), cert. denied, 441 U.S.
968 (1979). The district court erred,,
therefore,, in comparing the timing and
conditions of Greenlaw’s hire with that
of Jiminez’. Unlike the district court,
we cannot “infer discrimination from a
comparison among candidates"-for a
professorial appointment because "[a]
App. 70
university’s prerogative ‘to determine
for itself on academic grounds who may
teach’ is an important part of our long
tradition of academic freedom."
Lieberman, 630 F.2d at 67 (quoting
Sweeny v. New Hampshire, 354 U.S. 234,
263 (1957) (FTankfurter,, J.,
concurring). A defendant’s requirements
with respect to a Title VII plaintiff's
academic degree does not constitute
invidious discrimination. See, e.g.,
Wileman,, 979 F.2d at 37 (holding that
an employer’s preferring an applicant
who obtained a masters degree, as
opposed to Title VH plaintiff “who had
thirty-seven credits in business
administration classes taken over a
ten[-)year period" was not evidence of .
pretext for discrimination and the
OF i ete al i ee i ee
district court erred .in finding
App. 71
otherwise); Wrenn v. Gould, 808 F.2d
4939 502 (6th Cir. 1987) (explaining
that in a Title VU suit an employer may
prefer, but not require, that an
applicant have a particular degree and
such a requirement is not improper);
Hernandez-Cruz v. Fordham Univ.,, 521 F.
Supp. 1059,1071 (S.D.N.Y¥. 1981) (holding
that an unsuccessful tenure applicant
asserting a Title VU claim based on race
and national origin was not awarded
tenure for failure to secure a Ph.D.,
not because of invidious discrimination
motivated by improper animus) (Lombard,
Circuit Judge). ParentheticaUy, we
observe that, unlike Jiminez, Greenlaw
had consistently superior student
evaluations, as well as the support of
the Economics Department. The crucial
issue in a Title VIII action is an
App. 72
unlawfully discriminatory motive for a
defendant’s conduct, not the wisdom or
folly of its business judgment. See
Furnco Constr. Corp. v. Waters,, 438
U.S. 567, 577 (1978). To this end, the
district court erred in concluding that
despite the fact Jiminez was not the
best qualified candidate,, on hiring him
MWC assumed particular or additional
burdens “to protect Jiminez from racial
and national origin animus." (J.A. at
549). MWC’s duty was only to refrain
from taking adverse employment action
against him because of snekibwes racial
discrimination, and MWC’s obligation did
not extend to protecting Jiminez against
any alleged racial and national origin
animus by others in the employment. _
community, nor to excusing derelictions
in job performance because
App. 73
the animus of others may have
contributed to it.
The district court’s conclusion is
erroneous because it failed to consider
other substantial, contrary evidence.
For instance, Cynthia Grund, a white
professor hired in 1990, was terminated
after one year exciusively because she
failed to complete her Ph.D.
Additionally, Rick Hydell, a former
faculty member at MWC who is white, was
given a terminal contract in the same
year Jiminez was hired and MWC implies
in its brief (although the record is
unclear) that his termination was for
failure to obtain his doctorate degree,
even though Hydell’s student evaluations
were superior to those of Jiminez.
Clear error was the result of
disregarding this evidence. See Soria
App. 74
v. Ozinga Bros., Inc., 704 F.2d 990, 999
(7th Cir. 1983) (stating that the
district court committed clear error in
disregarding evidence of discrimination
in a Title VII suit, but that the error
in that instance was harmless).
Equally, the district court disregarded
the fact that other black professors
prospered at MWC. Taddessa Adera, a
native Ethiopian, enjoyed superior
student evaluations, and he passed his
third-year review at MWC. Likewise,
Professor George King, who was also
black and Chairman of the Physics
Department, received stellar student
evaluations. These crucial facts were
not considered by the district court in
rendering its judgment and hence did not
enter the calculus in resolving this
case. ‘The district court was not at
App. 75
liberty to disregard this evidence. See
Ezold v. Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-
Cohen-,- 983 F.2d 509, 538 (3d Cir.
1992) (stating that “when the evidence
sheds light on whether the employer
treated similarly situated males and
females alike, it should not be
ignored"), cert. denied, 114 S. CL 88
(1993).
C.
Jiminez produced no scholarly work.
While he was somewhat excused from this
requirement while working on his Ph.D.,
he did not complete his Ph.D. in the
prescribed time, nor by the time he was
given a terminal contract; hence, he
cannot take refuge in this safe harbor.
Jiminez himself testified that during
his entire stint at the college, he
never published a single work in a peer-
namie tee
App. 76
review publication. We note that
Jiminez’ failure to produce scholarly
publications presents a legitimate
rationale for issuing a terminal
contract. See King v. Board of Regents
of Univ. of Wis. Sys., 898 F.2d 533,
540 (7th Cir. 1990) (explaining that a
Title VII plaintiff “was not qualified
for tenure renewal," inter alia, because
she failed to produce “scholarly pub-
lications"); Lieberman, 630 F.2d at 66
(noting that scholarship is an integral
factor in assessing tenure-type
decisions). As with the other evidence,
the district court disregarded the fact
that Jiminez had defaulted on this |
obligation and, in so doing, clearly ; |
erred.
IV.
We are left with the definite
App. 77
conviction that the factual fmdings of
the district court are clearly
erroneous. Predicated on such a faulty
premise, the district court’s legal
conclusions cannot withstand scrutiny.
Here, the district court ignored
substantial evidence or failed to
evaluate substantial-contrary evidence
in making its findings of fact. We hold
that Jiminez failed to satisfy the
obligations imposed on him by St. Mary’s
in that he failed to prove that he was a
victim of invidi- ous discrimination.
The judgment of the district court,
therefore, is reversed.
REVERSED
App. 78
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Richmond Division
ANTHONY E. JIMINEZ
Plaintiff,
Ve
MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE and
PHILIP HALL,
Defendants.
C.A. No. 93-459
INTERIM ORDER
This matter is before the Court for
resolution following a bench trial
conducted on February 14-15, 1994. For
the reasons stated-in the accompanying
Findings of Fact and Conclusions of ne
the Court renders judgment for plaintiff
and against defendant Mary Washington
College with respect to plaintiff's
claims pursuant to Title VII. of the
es oh A
App. 79
Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42
U.S.C. SS 2000e to 2000e-17, and 42
U.S.C 5 1981, and for Jiminez and
against defendant Hall with respect to
plaintiff’s claim under 42 U.S.C. S
1983.. Because the Court bifurcated the
liability and relief phases of,the
trial, the Court directs the parties to
schedule a hearing on the relief
attorney’s fees within on the relief
phase and any corresponding request for
attorney’s fees within 10 days from the
date of entry of this Interim Order. If
such a hearing is not scheduled, the
Court will consider plaintiff's request
for ‘relief to be abandoned.
It is so ORDERED.
Let the Clerk send a copy of these
Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
along with the accompanying order to all
App. 80
counsel of record.
DATE
April 15 1994
App. 81
16. The purposeful discrimination
element of a claim alleging racial
and/or national origin discrimination in
employment under 42 U.S.C. S 1983 is
analyzed in the same manner as a Title
VII claim. Hicks v. St. Mary’s Honor
Center, 970 F.2d 487 (8th Cir. 1992),
revid on other grounds, St. Mary’s Honor
Center v. Hicks, 113 S. Ct. 2742 (1993).
Therefore, the McDonnell framework set
Out above is applicable to Jiminez’ s
1983 claim against Hall. 113 S. Ct. at
2746 n.l.
17. Because Hall was intimately
involved with the decision to give
Jiminez a terminal contract and his
actions were causally connected to
Jiminez receiving a terminal contract,
the analysis set out in Conclusions of
Law qq 3-11 apply with equal force to
App. 82
the S 1983 claim. Hicks, 970 F.2d at
491.
18. Therefore, the Court finds for
Jiminez and against Hall on Jiminez, S
1983 clain.
C. Plaintiff‘s Relief
19. At the commencement of the
trial, the Court agreed to consider the
relief aspect of this case separate from
the liability phase. Some evidence
related to damages was introduced at
trial, but an additional hearing will bg
necessary so that the Court can
determine what relief is appropriate for
the plaintiff based on the Court’s
conclusions with respect to liability.
(4 f 4% wy ? « HY
decision. Having found that the
student evaluation rationale was
pretextual, the Court determines that
the other reasons given by MWC for its
App. 83
action, Jiminez, failure to defend his
dissertation and to produce scholarly
work, were pretextual as well. These
reasons simply cannot withstand scrutiny
in light of the fact that Greenlaw,
viewed on the same time scale, had the
same shortcomings and was still kept on
the tenure track and eventually granted
tenure. (See Findings %% 12-15). The
rationale put forth by MWC was a pretext
for discrimination.
12. Therefore,, the Court finds
for Jiminez and against MWC on Jiminez’
Title VII and S 1981 claims.
B. 9 1983 Claim Against Hall
13. 42 U.S.C. S 1983 provides in
relevant part:
Every person who, under color
of any statute, ordinance,
regulation, custom, or usage,
of any State subjects, or
causes to be subjected, any
citizen
f the United States or other
App. 84
person within the jurisdiction
thereof to the deprivation of
any rights, privileges, or
immunities secured by the
Constitution and laws, shall be
liable to the party injured .
14. An action under 5 1983 has two
essential elements: (i) the defendant
must have been “acting under color of
state law"; and (ii) the defendant’s
conduct must have “deprived a person of
rights, privileges, or immunities
secured by the Constitution or laws of
the United States." Parratt v. Taylor,
451 U.S. 527, 535 (1981), overruled on
other grounds by Daniels v. Williams,
474 U.S. 327 (1986).
15. In this case it has not been
challenged, and the Court finds, that
Hall was acting under color of state
law.
i 3
ll.
App. 85
to award a three-year contract to
Jiminez. As set out in Hall’s
letter of May 22, 1992 to Jiminez,
{see Finding ‘ff 33), MWC’s reasons
for giving Jiminez a terminal
contract were: (1) that Jiminez’
student evaluations over five
semesters were poor; (2) that he
had not successfully defended his
dissertation; and (3) that he had
not produced scholarly works.
However, Jiminez has successfully
carried his ultimate burden of
persuading the Court that he has been
the victim of intentional discrimination
on the basis of his race and national
Origin because he has proven both that
App. 86
defendants, “proffered explanation is
unworthy of credence," Burdine, 450 U.S.
at 256, and that the reasons given were
merely a pretext for discrimination. See
St. Mary’s Honor Center v. Hicks, 113 S.
Ct. 2742, 2752 (1993). As the Court
found in Finding 1 37, after being made
aware that Jiminez, student evaluations
had been tainted by collusion and racial
and national origin animus, the
Department of Economics, Hall and
Anderson either should have ignored
Jiminez’ student evaluations in reaching
their respective decisions about his
contract, or should have conducted an
in-depth investigation to determine the
extent of the taint. They did neither.
Rather, they intentionally gave credence
to the questionable evaluations and to
the selective examination of five white
9 EN
App. 87
Students by Rycroft in assessing
Jiminez, teaching effectiveness. They
then relied heavily upon this assessment
in reaching their conclusion that
Jiminez should be given a terminal
contract, thereby knowingly using
information tainted by discrimination to
reach their
18
rejected; and (iv) that, after his
rejection, the position remained open
and the employer continued to seek
applicants from persons of complainant's
qualifications. .
411 U.S. at 802.
8. The court in Kumar v. Board of
App. 88
Trustees, Universit
e cour in Kumar v. Board of
Trustees, University of Massachusetts,
774 F.2d 1 (lst Cir. 1985), adapted this
prima facie test to apply in the context
of a tenure decision. While the case
before this Court does not specifically
involve a tenure decision, the language
used by the Ku.mar court is helpful.
The Kumar court altered the second prong
of the McDonnell test by requiring the
plaintiff to show that he was a
candidate for tenure and was qualified
under the school’s standards, practices,
and customs. The fourth prong was
altered such that the plaintiff must
show that tenure positions were open at
the time of his rejection. Id. at 7.
9. Jiminez has satisfied the prima
facie test in this case:
App. 89
(1) he is a member of both a racial
and a national origin minority;
(2) he was a candidate for a three-
year contract which is the final
phase prior to the tenure decision at
MWC and, as the Court found in Findings
‘off 37-38, he was qualified to receive
the contract under MWC’s standards,
practices, and customs; (3) despite his
qualifications, he did not receive the
three-year contract but instead was
given a one-year terminal contract; and
(4) soon after Jiminez was given the
terminal contract, the Department of
Economics began actively seeking to fill
the tenure-track position that Jiminez
had occupied.
10. MWC has rebutted plaintiff’s
prima facie case by putting forth
legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons
for their decision not 17
App. 90
256. To do this, the plaintiff must
prove by a preponderance of the evidence
that the reason given is not the real
reason, but is merely a pretext for
discriminatory actions. The plaintiff
"may succeed in this either directly by
persuading the court that a
discriminatory reason more likely
motivated the employer or indirectly by
showing that the employer’s proffered
explanation is unworthy of credence.,,
Id.
6. 42 U.S.C. S 1981 provides in
pertinent part:
(a) All persons within the
jurisdiction of the United States
shall have the same right in every
State and Territory to make and
enforce contracts .. . and to the
full and equal benefit of all laws
and proceedings for the security of
persons and property as is enjoyed
by white citizens ‘
App. 91
(b) For purposes of this section, the
term "make and enforce contracts"
includes the making, performance, modif
ication, and termination of contracts,
and the enjoyment of all benefits,
privileges, terms, and conditions of the
contractual relationship.
(Cc) The rights protected by this section
are protected
against impairment..... under color of
State law.
" et nd di Me tial
The burden of proof arrangement for
‘ actions brought pursuant
to 42 U.S.C. S 1981 is identical to that
used in disparate
eae I A IT is eats scr hace a oS.
treatment cases under Title VII.
Patterson v. clean Credit
Union,
La EO PbO! SA Ra ASE TPR S Gr ORR AREA AR ATE AN beat SB AINE CE nod
491 U.S. 164, 186 (1989), revld on other
App. 92
grounds, Civil Rights Act of 1991, P.L.
102-166; see also Williams v.
Cerberonics, Inc.,, 871 F.2d 452, 457-58
4th Cir. 1989).
a In McDonrell, the
U.S. Supreme Court noted
that a
plaintiff may meet the
prima facie case burden
by showing
(i) that he belongs to a
racial (or national
origin]
minority; (ii) that he applied and
was qualified for a job for which
the employer was seeking
applicants;
(iii) that, despite his qualifications,
he was
16
I -41 . 7 I..) i
considered or even available at the
time the terminal contract decision was
made.
App. 93
40. The Court also finds that once
MWC made the decision to hire Jiminez,
despite the fact that he was, according
to Greenlaw and Rycroft, not the best
qualified candidate, it made a
commitment to protect Jiminez from
racial and national origin animus.
az. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
A. Title VII and 5 1981 Claims Acrainst
MWC
p Jiminez:is a member of a
distinct subgroup protected by Title VII
against racial and national origin
discrimination.
2. Defendant MWC is an agency
employing more than 15 persons within
the meaning of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. SS
2000e to 2000e-17.
: In Title VII cases, the burden
of proof is allocated
according
according to the scheme set out in
McDonnell Doucflas Corp. v.
Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973). The
App. 94
plaintiff in a disparate treatment
case must
case must initially prove a prima facie
case’ of racial and/or national origin
discrimination.
4. Proof of a prima facie case then
gives rise to an
inf erence of discrimination.
Co., 882 F.2d 908 (4th Cir.
an erence of discrimination. Mallory v.
Booth Refrigeration Sui)plv Co., 882
F.2d 908 (4th Cir. 19810). To rebut
this inference, the employer must
_. T
iy
At eae mire An wrt
App. 95
articulate a legitimate,
nondiscriminatory reason for the adverse
employment action. Texas Dept. of
Community Af fairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S.
248, 253 (1981).
5. Once the defendant articulates
a legitimate reason, the plaintiff must
carry his ultimate burden of persuading
the Court that he has been the victim of
intentional discrimination. Id. at
15
(‘10-1113
collusion and webhe’ and national
origin animus were made known to Hall
and Anderson, Jiminez had been treated
in a non-discriminatory fashion by the
staff and faculty at MWC. However, once
App. 96
they became aware that the student
evaluations were tainted, and knowing
that MWC was a predominantly white
college with a history of racial
tension, (see Ilff 9-11), the Department
of Roontmbie: Hall and Anderson either
should have ignored Jiminez’ student
evaluations in reaching their respective
decisions about his contract, or should
have conducted an in-depth investigation
to determine the extent of the taint.
They did neither, but rather gave
credence both to the evaluations and the
selective examination of five white
students by Rycroft in assessing
Jiminez, teaching effectiveness. In
giving Jiminez the right to reapply for
the tenure track position, the
department, Hall, and Anderson merely
"glossed over" the fact that Jiminez,
App. 97
evaluations were tainted and, without an
investigation, unreliable.
38. Because no investigation was
conducted with respect to Jiminez’
student evaluations for his first five
semesters, those evaluations should have
been ignored. The Court finds that it
ee «es pens eee
must ignore those evaluations in the
preci
context of this suit and therefore finds
that Jiminez was qualified to receive
the subsequent threeyear contract.
39. Defendants presented a
statistical analysis at trial of the
student enrollment in Jiminez, classes
Tilt eerie Tiegh nan A ak a aa
abi bial,
and of the grades awarded by Jiminez.
(Test. of Hall; Defs.1 Exs. 23, 24).
t The Court finds that there is no
evidence showing that these data were
14
App. 98
(10@ . Is
that he would have to fulfill certain
conditions in order to be considered a
viable candidate. These conditicns
were:
1. Substantial improvement of the
student evaluations of [Jiminezl]
classes, and,
2. Favorable evaluations by (the]
department as a
result of their [sic] unannounced visits
to [the]
classes, and,
3. Successfully defend[{) [his]
dissertation by August
31, 1992, and,
4. {] [Tlake[{]) appropriate steps to be
included on the program to present a
paper at a regional economics
conference.
34 - On June 10, 1992, Anderson
wrote a letter to Jiminez informing him
a tka oiiibeacaaeadinn one iota
BROT SONY a RAE Me gies
App. 99
that Anderson concurred in Hall’s
recommendation and had forwarded that
recommendation to the Board of Visitors.
(Pi 20. 29),
35. On June 17, 1992, Jiminez
received confirmation from Anderson that
the Board of Visitors voted to give
Jiminez a one year terminal contract for
1992-93. (Pl.’s Ex. 20).
36. In December 1992, Jiminez asked
Hall whether Hall thought
Jiminez should reapply for the tenure
track position. Hall mentioned that he
did not think the department would
change its decision. (Test. of Hall).
Jimtnez did not reapply.
37. Based on the standards
utilized by MWC for promotion and tenure
decisions, (see 11 7), and a comparison
with Greenlaw, a tenured faculty member
in the Department of Economics, Jiminez
was
qualif ied to receive the three-year
contract which
receive e t.ree-year
App. 100
contract which would have carried him
through his tenure-decision year except
for the results of his student
evaluations. Prior to the time that
assertions of
13
further proof that the earlier student
cnutnatchaan were "skewed" by
collusion; on these later evaluations,
the students realized that such
collusion would not be tolerated.
33. On May 22, 1992, Hall sent
Jiminez a letter advising him of the
position he was going to take with
respect to the Department of Economics
recommendation to give Jiminez a
terminal contract for academic year
See ee ny eer a ee ee ee De eee gs ee wert.
«hoo ES OD each ae a aey y ees , .
SEER BNI IDOLS LT
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=
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:
App. 101
1992-93. (Defs.1 Ex. 12; Pl.’s Ex. 17).
Hall noted that he and the members of
the department were getting "two very
different messages about [Jiminezl]
teaching effectiveness" and he was
“uncertain and therefore uncomfortable"
about the decision to make. On the one
hand, noted Hall, Jiminez, student
evaluations over five semesters had been
"decidedly sub-par" and a “significant
number of students" had registered their
unhappiness. Hall commented that, on
the other hand, Jiminez, student
evaluations for the Spring 1992 semester
were "at or above College averages" and
comments and visits from students were
"heavily in (Jiminez’] favor." Hall
added, however, that there was not
enough information to draw the
conclusion that the high evaluations and
App. 102
student comments signalled “an unusual
and dramatic ‘turn-around. I " In
addition, Hall noted that Jiminez had
not defended his dissertation and had
“not produced much in the way of
scholarly output. On this basis, Hall
stated that he was recommending to
Anderson that Jiminez be given a
terminal contract and that the
department would advertise and recruit
candidates for Jiminez’ position but
Jiminez could reapply for his tenure
track position at the end of the one
year contract if he so desired. Hall
went on to inform Jiminez
12
@- 0-%-16
obtained from the evaluations over
PE eed | er A ale celled
App. 103
several semesters. In addition, he
had not seen any discernible pattern
indicating that student evaluations of
African-American professors were lower
than those for white professors (Test.
of Hall).
30. Some students also approached
Anderson during this time frame,
informing him of their concerns that
Jiminez had been the victim of collusion
on his evaluations and that the student
action might have been racially
motivated. (Test. of Laura Kasley,
Nicole Dixon and Anderson). Anderson
found the students to be credible, but
he did not conduct an investigation into
the matter.
31. Under MWC’s student evaluation
policy, faculty are not permitted in
class during the student ratings.
App. 104
However, it is inconsistent with school
policy for students to confer with one
another while filling out the
evaluations. (Test. of Anderson).
32. Jiminez’ student evaluations for
the Spring 1992 semester were
dramatically higher than his previous
evaluations and were, in fact, higher
than the department averages. (Test. of
Jiminez and Hall; Defs. I Ex. 22; Pl.
Is Ex. 15). Jiminez, Fall 1992
evaluations were slightly under the
department average but higher than the
scores he received during his f.i-rst
five semesters. His Spring 1993
evaluations were back above the
department average. (Test. of Hall;
Defs.1 Ex. 22). Rycroft testified that
he had never seen a faculty member’s
|
evaluations go from being consistently
App. 105
low to being above average or average as
was the case with Jiminez. (Test. of
Rycroft). The Court finds that the
higher evaluations Jiminez received in
his sixth, seventh and) eighth semesters
| offer \.
4 11
‘
;
I %(I-- ;I-- ‘j- ,Iti
. spread, Hall and Anderson received
| numerous letters from students
Supportive of Jiminez. (Pl.’s Ex.
23). The letters on the whole
4 spoke positively of Jiminez’
teaching ability and the manner in
which he worked with students.
Some of the letters also noted that
some students had "collaborated" to
give Jiminez low evaluation scores
App. 106
and had made the evaluation process
a collective effort. One letter
ref erred to "“bigotted [ sic ]
student evaluations, " (pl. , s Ex.
23-18), and another stated, “To
deny (Jiminez] a contract renewal
because a few people cannot see
beyond his color or accent is a
crime and blatant discrimination."
(Pl.’s Ex. 23-19). Another student
expressed the “opinion that there
is considerable doubt as to the
validity of the evaluations from
(her) class." (Pl.’s Ex. 23-21).
29. On April 28, 1992, a group of
six students visited Hall. These
students also were supportive of Jiminez
and they informed Hall that they
believed there had been a collusive
effort by some students to mark Jiminez
3
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App. 107
down on evaluations based on his race
and accent. Hall took notes during this
meeting in which he recorded the
"students’ perceptions." His notes
mention that “class was a zoo because
the ee him hell,"
1ll(sjtudents came in with bad
attitudes," and then later: “Race.
Accent. Mannerisms. Students here are
not tolerant." (Test. of Hall; Pl.’s Ex.
27). Hall stated that he accepted as
true what the students said. The
students asked Hall to conduct an
investigation, but Hall did not do so.
Hall stated that he discounted the
likelihood that the collusion was
extensive enough to markedly affect the
information
App. 108
10
c;@1-Ilili
(Test. of Rycroft). While Rycroft
acknowledged in the evaluation that
Jiminez had strengths as a teacher,
Rycroft stated that the most weight must
be put on "in the classroom" teaching
and that Jiminez had not met the MWC
standard in this regard. Rycroft stated
that Jiminez, record of service for the
year was good. With respect to
scholarship/professional activity,
Rycroft focused on the fact that Jiminez
had not completed his dissertation. In
summary, Rycroft stated, "(TJjeaching and
professional activity remain areas of
significant weakness as they have been
in the past," and added that "the
department must recommend a one year
App. 109
terminal contract.,,
26. The decision to recommend to
Hall that Jiminez be given a terminal
contract was reached unanimously by all
three tenured members of the Department
of Economics: Rycroft, Greenlaw and
Steve Stageburg. (Test. of Rycroft and
Greenlaw).
27. On March 30, 1992, Carole
Corcoran, a tenured faculty member in
the Department of Psychology sent Hall a
letter. (Pl.’s Ex. 13). In the letter,
Corcoran noted her disappointment over
the fact that the Department of
Economics had recommended giving
Jiininez a terminal contract and advised
Hall that a student had expressed "anger
at the disrespect shown by some white
students toward (Jiminezj." Corcoran
also mentioned to Hall that “racism,
App. 110
however subtle,, has to be taken into
account when..... examin [ ing } student
and f aculty evaluations of C Jiminez
(Pl. I.8 Bx. 13).
28. As word of the Department of
Economics, recommendation
('01"-'-13
candidate is thorough. At this
time, candidates generally get
either a three-year contract taking
them up to their “tenure
decision year," or a one-year terminal
contract. (Defs.’ Ex. 8;
Test. of Hall and Rycroft).
aa« On December 20, 1991, Mehrabi
was suspended from his
position as departmental chair and
Rycroft was appointed acting
chair. (Test. of Mehrabi, Hall and
Rycroft).
App. 111
23. Daniel Abel, a faculty member in
the Department of Biological Sciences at
MWC, sat in on several of Jiminez’ |
environmental economics classes during
the Fall 1991 semester. On January 25,
1992, Abel wrote Rycroft a letter
advising him of this
fact and relating a positive critique
of Jiminez, teaching. (Test.
of Abel; Pl.’s Ex. 8).
24. In February 1992, Rycroft
sent a draft of Jiminez, annual
evaluation to Hall. Hall suggested a
"slight re-write of the first
paragraph" -and stated, “On the whole I
think you have done an excellent job on
this, Bob. It strikes just the right
tone." (Pl.’s Ex_. 10; Test. of
Jiminez, Hall and Rycroft). Rycroft
incorporated Hall’s re-write into the
final evaluation which wasdated
February 26, 1992. (Pl.’s Ex. 9; Defs.1
App. 112
Ex. 9).
25. In this evaluation, Jiminez,
third annual evaluation, Rycroft noted
Jiminez, “perennially low" course
evaluation scores and stated that
“comments on course evaluation forms, as
well as oral comments solicited by the
chair from selected students, have
been mainly critical.-’ (Pl - ’s_ Ex.
9; Def s - Ex. 9) -Rycroft
Solicited comments from five students,
all of whom were white.
(I (Il <3 IT I-. , je 4. os
is bound to have. -I Rycroft then
listed positive aspects of Jiminez’
teaching and noted that he
App. 113
"expect(ed] great things (from
Jiminez I in the future." With
respect to scholarship/prof
essional activity, Rycroft stated
that Jiminez’ “major focus for the
immediate future must be completion
of his dissertation. (Def s. Ex.
6).
19. Jiminez was given a second
contract of employment
covering academic years 1990-91 and
1991-92. His next annual evaluation
was performed by Shah Mehrabi, then the
departmental chair, on April 2, 1991.
Mehrabi noted Jiminez, “below average"
student evaluation scores but qualified
his statement by adding
that “with experience and once
students get accustomed to
(Jiminez’ ]} style of teaching,
(jiminez, evaluations]
should
improve.,, Mehrabi did not note any
criticisms of Jiminez’
scholarship/professional activity or
service. (Defs.1 Ex. 7).
20. During the Spring semester of
1991, Jiminez invited Rycroft to attend,
App. 114
unannounced, any of Jiminez’ classes to
observe and critique his classroom
performance. Rycroft accepted the
invitation but never attended any of
Jiminez’ classes. (Test. of Jiminez and
Rycrof t) . In fact, none of the
Department of Economics faculty members
attended any of Jiminez’ classes in an
attempt to monitor his progress or offer
help. (Test. of Jiminez).
21. On December 10,
1991, near the end of
Jiminez’ fifth
semester of teaching, Hall wrote
departmental chair Mehrabi
to
remind him that Jiminez I third year
review should ‘be done. (Def
s. fi
Ex. 8). Under MWC practice, the
third year review of a
tenure
Sap P RRR EE ron eI mRE gS THEO
ay Sato ees AR KDE
NOES RIUM STS RRC agit CRA
App. 115
(+. £%.:g- aug @ BO
14. During his four-year stint at
MWC, Jiminez did not publish in a peer-
refereed journal. (Test. of Jiminez).
15. Greenlaw, like Jiminez, did
not publish in a peer-refereed journal
before his fourth year at MWC.
Greenlaw).
(Test. of
16. Professors and the courses they
teach are evaluated every
semester by the students in the
respective courses. These
evaluations are done on forms titled
"Student Course Reaction
Questionnaire.,, (Defs.1 Ex. 11). In
his first semester
at MWC,
App. 116
the Fall 1989 academic semester,
Jiminez received
student
evaluations which ranked 37th out of
the 41 tenure track
faculty
members. For the four semesters from
Spring 1990 through Fall 1991, Jiminez’
student evaluations were the lowest
of the approximately 40 tenure track
faculty members. (Test. of Hall).
During these five semesters, Jiminez’
evaluation scores were below
the Department of Economics average
evaluation scores.
22).
(Def s. ’ Ex.
17. Greenlaw has received student
App. 117
evaluations which are
consistently above the Department of
Economics average. (Test. of Greenlaw).
18. As noted in Iff 8, f aculty members
are given a written
evaluation yearly by their departmental
chair. Jiminez I first evaluation was
written by Rycroft on February 20, 1990.
Rycroft noted that the “numerical scores
on [Jiminezl] student course ratings
were f airly low" and mentioned some
student criticisms, but added that the
areas criticized were “shortcomings any
new teacher
(Test. of
(I (j,2,- -@ It
f aculty and administrators at which
Anderson, s . taff and faculty members,
and students spoke about their concerns
over the racial climate at MWC. (Test.
of Anderson and Carole Corcoran; Pl.’s
Ex. 14). Years prior to this, concerns
App. 118
had been voiced to Hall and Anderson
that some students were giving f aculty
member Karen Williams negative
evaluations based on her race. (Test. of
Hall and Brenda Sloan). In
approximately 1986 or 1987, on the basis
of affirmative action concerns, MWC
commissioned a study to an outside
consultant, Sharon Friesz. Friesz I
report indicated that MWC needed to
implement some type of sensitivity
training. (Test. of
Brenda King). Such training was
implemented in 1992. (Test. of
Sloan).
-C. Jiminez I Evaluations and Eventual
Receipt of Termina..-- Contract
12. When Jiminez applied for
App. 119
employment with MWC on March 4,
Ha: MELE BO AE SS, PP
1989, he wrote on his application:
"PhD in Economics expected June
19 8 9. (Def s. I Ex - 1) . However,
; Jiminez actually did not complete
3 the requirements for receiving his
-
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Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico
until approximately August 1992, (Pl.
Is Ex. 21), after being taken off the
tenure track and given a one-year
terminal contract by MWC.
13. Steven Greenlaw, a tenured
professor in the Economics Department at
MWC who is white, did not receive his
Ph.D. until his fourth year at MWC.
Despite being told that he would lose
his job if he did not get his Ph.D.
before the end of his first year,
Greenlaw was allowed to remain and
subsequently received tenure. (Test. of
Greenlaw).
App. 120
| s
Service to the college is measured
based on factors such as academic
advising, club sponsorship, service on
committees, and role in college
governance. Promotion and tenure
decisions are made based upon a f aculty
member I s perf ormance as measured by
these three criteria. (Defs.1 Ex. 5).
8. Faculty members are given a
written performance evaluation yearly by
their departmental chair. (See, e.g.,
Defs.1 Exs. 6, 7, 9).
B. Racial Setting at MWC
9 . The student body at MWC is
comprised primarily of white
students. President Anderson
testified that when he became
App. 121
president in 1983, minority students
represented only about three percent
(3%) of the student population. Now,
this figure has jumped to approximately
twelve percent (12%). (Test. of
Anderson) - 10. As of the Fall
semester in 1989 (when Jiminez began
his appdintuent at MWC), MWC “employed
a total of 148 full time
tenured/tenure-eligible, and 18 non-
tenure eligible faculty members. of
See Pe
these[, ] Black faculty tenure/tenure-
eligible members were 6, and 2 were
ee
non-tenure-eligible.11 (Defs.1 Ex. 20).
ii. In the years preceding Jiminez’
arrival, as well as during his stint at
MWC, there was a climate of racial
tension at MWC. Instances occurred
which openly manifested an atmosphere of
App. 122
racism and intolerance. For example,
during academic year 1991-92 three
African-American students received a
death threat over the telephone. (Test.
of Anderson; Pl.‘s Ex. 14). Shortly
after this threat, in January 1992, a
gathering was held for MWC students,
4
Sie hp
Ss. The Department of Economics
conducted a national search when it
sought to fill the tenure-track position
for which Jiminez was ultimately hired.
Three candidates, including Jiminez,
were invited to MWC for an interview.
Though the members of the Department of
Economics recommended by a 3-2 vote that
App. 123
Jiminez be hired, they did not view
Jiminez as the most qualified candidate
of the three. However, they wanted to
hire him peneues he met their
requirements and they wanted to
diversify the faculty. (Test. of Rycroft
and Greenlaw).
6. A tenure-track professor at
MWC usually has to go through three
contract phases prior to being
considered for tenure -- an initial one-
year appointment, a two-year contract,
and a three-year contract. (Test. of
Hall; Defs.1 Ex. 5 at S 2.2-2).
7. At the time that Jiminez
started his employment with MWC, the
1982 version of the MWC Faculty Handbook
("Handbook"), as amended over a period
of years, was in effect. The Handbook
was revised in 1990. (Test. of Hall;
App. 124
Defs., Exs. 4, 5). According to the
Handbook,. faculty performance is
evaluated in three areas: teaching,
scholarly/creative/professional
activity, and service. Teaching
effectiveness is measured based on a
variety of factors, including
evaluations by students, colleagues, the
department chair and the professor
(self-evaluation), attainment of course
outcome objectives, and maintenance of
academic standards. Professional
activity/scholarship is evidenced by
scholarly publication, presentations of
papers and addresses before audiences of
professional peers, and similar evidence
of scholarly endeavors.
App. 125
% ita i Huan ecrey ‘
ef p ie |
primarily undergraduate education in
liberal arts and sciences. College
| policy and programs are set by a Board
| of Visitors. The chief executive of MWC
is the President, William Anderson
("Anderson"), who is appointed by and
responsible to the Board of Visitors.
3. Defendant Philip Hall ("Hall")
is currently Provost of MWC, having
assumed that position in July 1993.
From July 1985 until July 1993, Hall
served as Dean and Vice-President for
Academic Affairs. (Test. of Hall).
4. iiminez applied for a tenure
track position as a member of the
faculty of the Department of Economics
at MWC by application dated March 4,
1989. (Defs.1 Ex. 1). As part of his
application
App. 126
process, Jiminez interviewed with Hall.
The menlbers of the
Department of Economics voted 3-2 in
favor of recommending to Hall
that Jiminez be hired. (Test. of
Steven Greenlaw and Robert
Rycroft). Hall then approved this
recommendation and carried it forward to
Anderson who in turn carried it to the
Board of Visitors. (Test. of Hall). On
August 3, 1989, Anderson sent a letter
to Jiminez notifying him that the Board
of Visitors had taken the following
action on his behalf:
RESOLVED By The Rector and
Visitors of Mary Washington
College that Anthony E. Jiminez
be, and he hereby is, elected to
the faculty of Mary Washington
College, in a full-time, tenure
(Defs.
@to .
App. 127
track position of Assistant
Professor in the Department of
Economics, to teach Economics for
a one-year contractual period,
beginning August 16, 1989 and
ending May 15, 1990, at an annual
salary of $29,500, contingent upon
your being granted the terminal
degree by August 16, 1989.
1 Ex. 2).
-I
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
ANTHONY E. JIMINEZ,
Plaintiff,
Richmond Division
Affl I
App. 128
CL;RK, U.S. DISTRIOT C@’j@,T
RICH, ?7ACND, VA
C.A. No. 93-459
MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE, et al,
Defendants.
FINDIN OF FACT AND
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
This matter is before the Court for
resolution following a bench trial
conducted on February 14-15, 1994. The
Court makes the following Findings of
Fact and Conclusions of Law, pursuant to
‘Fed.
R. Civ. Proc. 52:3
App. 129
- FINDINGS OF FACT
A. Jiminez’ An at WC and the
i inez Appointment at MWC and the
Faculty Evaluation Process l. Plaintiff
Anthony E. Jiminez ("Jiminez") is a
citizen of Trinidad of African born
descent. He has filed this suit
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. SS 1981 and 1983
and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964, as amended, 42 U.-S.C@..
. aS amended, 42 U.-S.C@é.. SS
2000e to 2000e-17, alleging
discrimination in employment on the
basis of race and national origin.
Jiminez timely filed a charge of
discrimination with the Equal Employment
‘
App. 130
Opportunity Commission on October 2,
1992, and on March 31, 1993 received a
Notice of Right to Sue letter. (pl.’s
Exs. 28, 29). This suit was filed on
June 29, 1993.
2. Daepnaant Mary Washington
College ("MWC") is a college funded and
operated by the Commonwealth of
Virginia, offering
-) tj
Let the Clerk send a copy of this
Interim Order and the accompanying
Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
to all counsel of record.
DATE
App. 131
APR 1 5 1994
B/.
SENIOR UNITED STATES DISTRICT J-UDGE
B2O 2-8 . ._ Pt
you’ve heard all the evidence, Your
Honor, you will see that while it may be
unfortunate to mr. Jiminez, it was the
right decision to make. It was
consistent with tenure criteria that
were published. It was consistent with
expectations. It was consistent with
good college management. For that
reason we think the evidence will show
that this complaint has no merit.
Thank you, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Thank you.
App. 132
Call your first witness, Mr. El-Amin.
MR. EL-AMIN: Brenda Sloan.
BRENDA SLOAN
was sworn and testified as follows:
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. EL-AMIN:
Q Good morning, Ms. Sloan.
How are you?
A Good morning.
Q Would you state your full
name, please.
A Brenda D. Sloan.
Q And by whom are you
employed, Ms. Sloan?
A Mary Washington College.
Q And what is your position
at Mary Washington
App. 133
College?
A I’m special collections
librarian.
Halasz & Halasz
Q And how long have yor been
employed at Mary
Washington College?
A Since January of
1982.
Q All right. And are
you an academic
appointment? Do you have an academic
appointment? Are you
considered faculty?
Administrative faculty.
Administrative faculty?
Right.
And for the record, your race?
African-American.
o FF ob ke Db &
All right. Now Ms. Sloan, were
you ever
the -- was there ever a
black faculty staff
App. 134
association
created at Mary Washington
College?
A Yes. I was one of
the founding members of
that association and cochair in 1986.
Q 1986. And how long did you
stay at cochair?
A To 1990. And then from 1990 to
1992 I was president of the association.
Q All right. And why was the
association
created?
A Well, there were a lot of
incidents going on on campus that
involved the African-American community
that we felt should be addressed.
Q Such as?
App. 135
Halasz & Halasz
3 0
A There were people who had come
to us about being harassed in the
physical plant.
MR. HORSLEY: objection, Your Honor.
This is going to be a continuing
objection.
THE COURT: She isn’t offering it for
the truth. It’s background information
on why the black faculty association
came to be.
MR. HORSLEY: Her testimony relates to a
period of time before Mr. Jiminez was
ever hired by the college.
App. 136
THE COURT: All right.
BY MR. EL-AMIN:
Q Go ahead. What were the other
reasons for creating the association?
A Well, we were also concerned with the
recruitment; getting more black faculty
staff on campus. ‘,@e were involved
with not only the faculty and staff, but
the concerns of our African-American
students. We wanted to be able to
assist administrators in trying to
recruit black students and black
faculty. And we also served as a
networ@é: in which we were a support
network for each other because there
were only a handful of us there, and we
felt we needed this network.
Q All right. In terms of percentages,
would you
App. 137
Halasz & Halasz
(,-(()25
-@A
I
indicate whether the black faculty
represented -- was that less than -- was
it more than 10 percent of the faculty
or less?
A Less. At that time.
Q All right. Now did you
present your gz oup to
Dr. Hall and Dr. Anderson?
A Yes. We met on a --
App. 138
sometimes monthly basis.
Like, it was, like, a forum that members
of the black
faculty staff would come and address
concerns that we had.
Q And what was your experience in
respect to Dr. Anderson and’Dr. Hall’s
receptivity to the concerns and your
organization?
A well, in one of our meetings we
were told by Dr. Anderson that there was
some faculty members on our campus that
considered our group an adversarial
organization.
Q All right.
A Of course, my response at that
time was, What
App. 139
was your response to them.
Q What did he say?
A He didn’t answer. So my
response was, Well, I suppose when they
made that negative comment about us and
you didn’t respond, that was like
telling them that yes, they are.
Q Did he seem to be Opposed to the
organization
Halasz & Halasz
(It0026
as a group? Did he appear to have
any opposition to it or express any
Opposition?
A He never told us that he had any
Opposition to it, but when we would take
concerns, it took a while to get them
App. 140
addressed, and it was a lot of red tape.
And we were -- you know, we were asked
that you address a particular dean or a
particular department, and it would just
take so very long to get correspondence
answered. And a lot of our meetings
were canceled an hour or two before we
were supposed to meet, so we got the
impression that we weren’t really
important.
Q All right. Did
there -- and what about
ie.
Hall; did you have to interface with
him as dean and
president and vice president for
academic affairs?
A He met with our
group several times when
we
had concerns that -- see, what they
would do is bring i. n
those people in the departments where
we had a concern. SC when we had a
Ce
App. 141
conc aba teaching faculty and
promotions and mentoring programs and
student evaluations, we would bring in
‘ ‘ Cc nd ou
know, we would discuss things with him.
Q And in terms of implementing some of
t d and concerns that you have
how did you find Dr. Hall? How was his
xr tiv ur _ concerns?
A Wel we got the
impression that, you know,
£a-..«1
afl)’, -,9
1, 7,
App. 142
what we would do comb the chronicles of
higher education to find out what other
schools were doing that had black
faculty and Xerox articles and make
things available to them. And, you
know, sometimes our response would be,
Well, _— know we can’t violate academic
freedom; we r-an’t force people to do
things. And the only thing we
were.asking, you know -- we would also
maintain the direction would have to
come from the top. And if they don’t
get directions from the dean and the
president, then things would go on as
usual.
Q And over this course of, say,
1986 to 1992, did you feel -- what was
your impression in respect to them being
App. 143
proactive in terms of presenting the
kind of atmosphere that you thought was
necessary to deal with racial climate?
Was it good or bad?
A Well, it was not -- it was not
very good because we would -- when we
would come up with these suggestions, it
would be -- for instance, like, at one
mo we came up with the suggestion for
recruiting; that when various department
heads would go out recruiting, that --
maybe professional meetings, that they
would take a member of the black faculty
staff so that we would, you know, show
some type of concern that we wanted to
recruit. And that was accepted, but it
never was followed through on.
Q Whose responsibility would
it have been?
App. 144
Halasz & Halasz
im .Cog. sR
A I assume that because Phil Hall
said that @,,e would do this. But the
letter that went out to faculty -
-nembers was not a letter saying, This
is what I want you to do. It was saying,
It would be wise if you did that. So to
us that read, You do it if you want, you
don’t have to do it.
Q Now do you recall the incident
involving student evaluations with Karen
Williams?
A Yes, I do.
Q All right. Do you know -- what
was the concern in respect -- was Dr.
Williams black or white?
A She’s African-American.
Q And what was some of the
concerns raised by her situation? Do
App. 145
you recall?
MR. HORSLEY: Objection.
Again, your Honor, we’re not trying
Karen Williams’ case, and we’re not
trying racial attitudes on campus.
We’re trying simple-discrimination case.
My objection would be continuing.
THE COURT: You have a
continuing objection.
Proceed.
MR. EL-AMIN: All right.
BY MR. EL-AMIN:
Q Explain what you recall of
the Karen Williams
af fair.
Halasz & Halasz
(!1C(jLo.g
3 6
A In one of our meetings that we
had with Anderson -- and I don’t know --
App. 146
Dr. Anderson was always present, but I
don’t remember whether or not Phil Hall
was there. But I remember that we did
discuss negative student evaluations and
the kinds of things that -- especially
Karen’s situation because she was a
black female, and we thought that was a
double whammy for her because the kinds
of things she had to encounter that we
did not feel that was happening to other
women. For instance, she would -- every
semester she was confronted by students
wanting to know whether or not she had
proper credentials to teach them. And
we brought those concerns that that kind
of foolishness should stop in the
Classroom where African-American faculty
members are confronted by students in
such a negative manner.
App. 147
Q What was Dr.
Anderson’s response to
that?
A I really don’t
remember, but nothing
happened.
I don’t think her
department -- according
to Karen and
meetings that we had --
she always kept us
informed -- and
nothing, she said, went back to the
director of her department that
something should be done about that and _
about the negative evaluations that she
was beginning to receive about whether
Or not she was organized, whether or not
she was competent, whether or not she
was available and whether Or not she
knew that she was there because she was
Halasz & Halasz
App. 148
00030
an affirmative action person.
Q Those were comments being made
by students?
A Those are comments that Karen
shared with us in a public meeting about
the kind of things she had to encounter
every semester. And every semester her
evaluations got worse, and so our
concern was for everybody. We wanted to
correct it for everyone, and we were
concerned that the school weighted
student evaluations so heavily,
especially unsigned student evaluations,
which meant we felt students felt if
they didn’t have to sign it, they could
sav anything they wanted to. And we
were concerned that the college -- some
departments, I should say -- some
departments would use those evaluations
NC nT NT NED CNN ee
App. 149
and say, Well, it’s obvious you’re not
an effective teacher. And we would
bring those concerns because we thought
they should do somet ag about student
evaluations counting so heavily because
a lot of our members were receiving a
lot of negative evaluations and some of
them were just downright racist.
Q All right. Now did you -- was
Dr. Hall and Dr. Anderson aware that
you-all were bringing these concerns of
racist evaluations to their attention?
A Yes. They were on our
agenda almost every
month.
Q Did you ever -- did Dr.
Hall or Dr. Anderson
App. 150
ever issue in writing indicating that
-that would not be
Halasz & Halasz
C(?0-11l-1
/ 4
eee
tolerated?
A Well, they would say that.
Q Did they ever issue something to
the department or to the students?
A We never saw it.
Q You never saw it?
A We never saw it.
Q All right. Were you looking for
that to
happen?
Defendant’s
Exhibit 11
MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE
STUDENT COURSE REACTION QUESTIONNAIRE
Course Information: Discipline
Course Number Suffix
Section Date:
Instructor
As a teaching institution, Mary
Washington is committed to the continued
improvement of its courses of
instruction. Students can play a role in
this process by furnishing candid and
honest reactions to the instruction they
are receiving. This questionnaire gives
you an opportunity to express anonymously
your views concerning this course and the
way it has been taught. The results of
this questionnaire will be considered
when personal decisions concerning this
faculty member are made.
IN ORDER FOR YOUR EVALUATION TO BE
TABULATED, ITEMS 1-5 MUST BE ANSWERED
1. My student status is: fae eS
Freshman, [ ](2) Sophomore, [ ](3) Junior
{ }(4) Senior [ ](5) Other
2. This course is [{ }(1) In major
and required, [{ ]}(2) In major but not
required, [{ )(3) Not a major but
required, [ ](4) Not in major or
required.
3. The number of times I have been
absent from this class is: [ ](1) 0 to 3,
( .}€2)- 4) to byt 3¢3) °F t6°9, £° 344) 10
or more.
4. My overall GPA is: [{ J](1) 3.00
or greater, [{ }](2) 2.00-2.99, [ }(3)
1.00-1.99, [ ]}(4) Less than 1.00, [ ] No
GPA yet.
5. The grade I expect to receive in
this course is: [{ }(%) A, { }(2) 8B, [
}(3) C, [ }(4) D, [ 9(5) F, ( (6) Other
(P.S. etc)
RESPOND TO EACH OF THE FOLLOWING
STATEMENTS WITH THE RESPONSE NUMBER WHICH
MOST ACCURATELY DESCRIBES YOUR REACTION
TO THE STATEMENT, PLEASE USE THE “O"
RESPONSE IF IT APPLIES.
(Use #2 Pencil) (O) Not applicable or
don’t know; (1) Strongly disagree; (2)
Disagree; (3) Neutral, neither
agree/disagree; (4) Agree, (5) Strongly
agree.
6. CO} (1) (2) (3) [4) [5) The
course material was presented in an
Organized manner.
7. (0) [1) [2) (3) [4) (5] Class
time was used constructively.
Sec: (OY (RP E27 E33 (4; (5] The
course material was covered at a pace
that was neither too fast nor too slow.
9. (0) (1) [2] [3] [4] [5] The
objectives for the course were clearly
stated.
10. [0) (1) (2) [3] [4] [5] The
professor was well prepared for class.
11. (0) (1) (2) (3] [4] [5] The
professor helped to clarify difficult
material in class.
12. [0} (1) (2) (3) [4] [5] The
professor encouraged questions and/or
expressions of opinions in class.
13. (0) (1) [2] (3) [4] [5] The
professor aroused interest in the
subject.
14. (0) (1) (2) (3) (4) [5] The
professor was helpful when answering
student questions. |
15. (0) (1) [2] [3] [4] [5] The
professor encouraged students to think.
16. (0) (1) [2] (3) [4) [5) The
professor showed concern for student
progress.
17. (0) (1) (2) (3) (4) [(5}) The
professor maintained office hours.
18. (0) [1] (2) (3) [4) [5) The
professor was available outside of class
for help.
19. (0) (1) (2) (3) (4) [5]
Assignment deadlines and/or major test
dates were announced well in advance.
20. (0) [1] [2) [3] [4] [5] The
tests reflected the important aspects of
the course.
21. (0) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Assignments and/or tests were handed back
within a reasonable length of time.
22. (0) {1} (2) (3) (4) [5) The
professor made helpful comments on papers
and/or tests.
23. (0) (1) [2] [3] [4] [5] The
professor’s criteria for grading were
clear.
24. (0) {1} (2) [3] [4] [5] Please
give this course an overall rating on a
scale of one to five (five being the
highest).
YOUR PROFESSOR MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED AS ABOVE.
25. (0) (1) (2) (3) (4) [5]
26. (0) (1) (2) (3) (4) [5]
27. [0} (1) [2] [3] (4) [5]
28. (9) (1) (2) [3] (4) [5]
29. (0) (1) [2] (3) (4) [5]
Please use the back of this sheet to
make written comments on the strong and
weak aspects of the course or to
elaborate on any of the questions above.
Your comments will be read by the Dean,
the Department Chairperson and the
Instructor.
Defendant’s
Exhibit 1
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT
Employees of the Commonwealth and
applicants for employment shall be
afforded equal Opportunity in all aspects
of employment without regard to race,
color, religion, political affiliation,
national origin, handicap, sex or age.
i Position applied for: Assistant
Professor of Economics.
2. Agency: Mary Washington College.
38 Social Security No.: 293-68-5144.
(NOTE: Completion of number three is
Optional. Failure to submit social
security number on this form will not
prohibit employment consideration.
Social Security Number may be required on
other forms prior to employment. )
4. Full legal name: Jiminez, Anthony
Ernest.
- Address: 2 Maple -_E. Apartment
#T, Albuquerque, NM _ 87106.
6. Home Phone: (505) 247-4307
7. Business Phone: 0 77-
8. Date of Birth: 4/15/50
(NOTE: The Age Discrimination in
Employment Act of 1967 as amended
prohibits discrimination of the basis of
age with respect to individuals who are
at least 40 years of age.)
9. Education
a. Circle highest grade completed:
12345 67.89 1319:41.142
Year Completed 1968
b. If you did not complete high
school, do you have a high’ school
equivalency diploma? —_ Yes __ No Date
Received
c. Circle number of years of post
high school education 123 45 67
Name and Location of Institution
3% ou town tate niversit
Youngstown, OH 44553
Hrs. 195
Degree Received BA (Cum Laude)
Major or Specialty Economics & Finance
Minor Accounting and Political Science
Dates Attended 1975-1982
2. University of New Mexico
Hrs. 72
Decree Received See (d) below
Major or Specialty Natural Resource Econ
Minor Applied Microeconomics and Math
Economics
Dates Attended 1982-1989
d. If you expect to complete an
educational program in the near future,
please indicate what type of degree or
program and expected completion date:
PhD in Economics Expected June 1989
10. Experience - Use Supplementary
Experience Form(s) for additional space.
Starting with the most recent, describe
ALL paid, military and applicable
voluntary experience. Highlight your
knowledge, skills and abilities which
best demonstrate your qualifications for
this position. You may list
significantly different jobs within the
same organization as separate items. May
we contact your present supervisor?
a. Job Title Teaching Associate
Employer University of New Mexico
Address Albuquerque, NM _ 87131
Phone (505) 277-5304
Type of Business University
Immediate Supervisor Dr. Ronald Cummings
Title Chairman-Economics Department
Salary (start) $840/mth (finish) $840/mth
Dates (mo/yr) 8/88 to (mo/yr) present
Full-time Part-time Hours/Week 8
Duties Teach Micrdeconomic Theory and
Macroeconomic Theory at _Both the
Introducto nd te Vv
Number and titles of employees you
supervised 216 Students Currently
Equipment used
Reason for leaving Accepted Faculty
Positio t Ma Washinaton College
Your name if different from present
b. Job Title Teaching/Research
Assistant
Employer University of New Mexico
Address Albuquerque, NM 87131
Phone (505) 277-5304
Type of Business University
Immediate Supervisor Dr. Ronald Cummings
Title Chairman-Economics Department
Salary (start) $450/mth (finish) $600/mth
Dates (mo/yr) 8/82 to (mo/yr) 5/88
Full-time Part-time Hours/Week 20
Duties Assist in Ongoing Research,
Lecturi xamination eview
Examination Discussions and Grading for
Microeconomic Theory at Both the
Introductory and Intermediate Levels
Number and titles of employees (students)
you supervised 90 per semester (on
average)
Equipment used
Reason for leaving
Your name if different from present
c. Job Title Management Trainee
Employer Reid’‘s Shoe Factory
Address Pole # 148 Chinapoo Village,
Laventille Rd., Port-of-Spain, Trinidad,
I
Phone
Type of Business Shoe factory
Immediate Supervisor Mrs. Margot Reid
Title Co-Owner
Salary (start) 12 mt (finish)
$1500/mth
Dates (mo/yr) to (mo/yr)
Full-time Part-time Hours/Week __
Duties In Training to Oversee The
Accounting Department
Number and titles of employees you
supervised 10
Equipment used
Reason for leaving To Attend Graduate
School
Your name if different from present
e. Use this Space for any
additional information you think would
help us evaluate your application,
including training, seminars, workshops,
special achievements or specialized
skills
£. Automated word processing
(specify equipment)
typing speed words per minute.
Shorthand speed words per minute.
g.- License (to include driver’s),
certificate or other authorization to
practice a trade or profession.
Type
License Number
Expiration date
Granted by (licensing board)
ll. References
List names, addresses and relationships
of three persons not related to you who
know your qualifications: Dr. Ronald
Cummings, c/o Economics Dept., Universit
of New Mexico, (505) 277-5304, my
professor
Dr. Stuart Burness, c/o Economics Dept.,
University of New Mexico, (505) 277-5304,
my professor
Dr. rt Churc c/o Economics Dept.,
University of New Mexico, (505) 277-5304,
my professor
12. Miscellaneous
a. Check which shift you will
accept: day evening night
Rotating Weekends Specify shift
hours
b. Check which job status you would
accept full-time part-time
(specify)
Cc. Check which empioyment status
you’d accept: salaried (benefits)
hourly (no benefits) part-time
salaried (leave benefits only).
d. Are you willing to accept
employment which requires you to travel?
__no yes. If yes, __—s during the
day only, ____ ‘occasionally overnight ___
frequently overnight.
e. List the geographic locations in
which you are willing work. If anywhere
in Virginia, write "all" Fredericksburg.
f. For purposes of compliance with
The Immigration Reform and Control Act,
are you legally eligible for employment
in the United States? yes ___ no.
Under the Immigration Reform and Control
Act of 1986, you will be required to fill
out a certification verifying that you
are eligible to be employed and verifying
your identify. Further, you will be
required to provide documentation to that
effect should you be employed.
10
g. Are you willing to provide your
Own transportation if necessary for your
employment? —_ yes ___ no.
h. For purposes of compliance with
Section 2.1-112 of the Code of Virginia
have you ever served in the Armed Forces
of the United States during the following
dates? (check the appropriate dates):
World War I-4/16/17-4/1/20;
World War II-12/7/41-12/31/46; __—- Korean
Conflict-6/27/50-1/31/55; _ $Vietnam
Conflict-8/5/64-3/7/75; _ |= None of the
dates shown, but I did serve in the
military.
i. Have you ever been convicted of
a law violation(s), including moving
traffic violations but excluding offenses
committed before your eighteenth birthday
which were finally adjudicated in a
Juvenile Court or under a youth offender
1l
law? Yes no. If yes, list all
and explain.
13. When will you be available to start
work? (No date is necessary if you are
available as soon as you give two (2)
weeks notice.) 8/21/89
14. CERTIFICATION- Each Application
Requires Current Date and Original
Signature.
I hereby certify that all entries on both
sides and attachments are true and
complete, and I agree and understand that’
any falsification of information herein,
regardless of time of discovery, may
cause forfeiture on my part to any
employment in the service of the state of
Virginia. I understand that all
information on this application is
subject to verification and I consent to
references and former employers’ and
12
educational institutions listed being
contacted regarding this application. I
further authorize the Commonwealth to
rely upon and use as it sees fit any
information received from such contacts.
Information contained on this application
may be disseminated to other agencies,
non-governmental organizations or systems
on a need to know basis for good cause
shown as determined by the agency head or
designee.
Date 3/4/89 Applicant Signature
/s/ Anthony E. Jiminez
13
COURSE TOTALS FOR ECON 354 01 ****
JIMINEZ, ANTHONY
Number of Surveys 6
Student Status
FR: 0 SO: 0 JR: 6 SR: O Other:0
Course Relation to Major
MR: 0 MNR: 3 NMR: 0 NMNR: 3
Number of Absences
0-3: 2 4-6: 2 7-9: 2 10+: 0
Student Overall GPA
3-4: 3 2-3: 2 1-2:1 0-1: 0 NoGPA: 0
Student Expected Grade
A’s: 5 B’s: Q C’s: 0 D’s: O F’s: QO
Other 0
STUDENT REACTION SURVEY
Survey Frequency Average
Statement / (Exclude 0)
Category , 2 foa & &
6 , & & & @& 2 4.3
7 S @& @ G ae 4 4.7
n
m4
ue]
re)
e)
&
10
11
12
13
Totals
14
15
16
17
18
Totals
19
20
21
22
23
Totals
Summary
24
0.0
25
0.0
26
0.0
27
0.0
28
0.0
0
29
0
0
Totals
Totals (Excluding 25-29)
00421
000420
COURSE TOTALS FOR ECON 202B 02 ****
JIMINEZ, ANTHONY
Number of Surveys 16
Student Status
FR: 8 SO: 3 JR: 3 SR: 0 Other:2
Course Relation to Major
MR: 5 MNR: 0 NMR: 6 NMNR: 5
Number of Absences
0-3: 10 4-6: 3 7-9: 2 10+: 0
Student Overall GPA
3-4: 7 2-3: 8 1-2:0 0-1: 0 NoGPA: 0
Student Expected Grade
A’s: 6 B*a: F Cat 2 -P’ae © F*aet 8
Other 1
STUDENT REACTION SURVEY
Survey Frequency Average
Statement / (Exclude 0)
Category Se oe Fee
6 e © 2 2° SS 4.3
>
8
Totals
9
10
11
12
13
Totals
14
15
16
17
18
Totals
19
20
21
22
43
11
33
Totals 48s @ Bree. S28
Summary
24 a? a oe ee 4.1
25 °° 60 8 & @ 0.0
26 0600 0 0 0 0.0
27 ae a eo ae 0.0
28 0 00 0 0 0 0.0
29 °c @ @¢G¢@ iG 0.0
Totals Re & € SF 0.0
Totals (Excluding 25-29)
12 15 45 108 133 4.7
Defendant's Exhibit
No. 22
Student Course Reaction Questionaires
Org Org Clas Clas Rel Rel
AEJ Econ AEJ Econ AEJ Econ
wn
o “Sie: v2
24. NeR
+198 SOR eRe OR ee eet en eeee ees Oe eeeeeeeseeeseess
: - : . : i
F89 S90 F90 S91 F91 S92 F92 S93
C AEJ =) Econ ‘ ra ae gest dee
eee e nee cesceces
seeeee ese
Defendant's
Exhibit No. 22
Defendant’s Exhibit No.
Average Section Enrollment
per Semester
23
AEJ ECON
SSG 27 23
PSG 27 28 ‘
S3k 624 26
Yok: 20 27
592° 11 26
¥S2 24 27
S93 9 26
i.
MEE ececcs Eh bese gee “Pacceesd oacece] feossees 2
ese 7 bod
“yt gg "\F90,.,, S91", F91°. S92 F92 S93
pee [MAES GECON
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.