PROFESSOR FINDS IT IS UNETHICAL IN ILLINOIS TO BE INTELLIGENT
INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION - Certainly not Tony Williams. After passing a
new online test on ethics required of all state employees, [Tony
Williams, a tenured professor] in the English department at Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale received a notice from his university
ethics officer and from the state inspector general that he was not in
compliance with state ethics regulations, a failure that state officials
said could result in punishment that included dismissal. The reason? He
had completed the test too quickly.
"It's a very simple test designed for thousands of state employees, and
it's more relevant for people in purchasing or positions of power," he
said. "Anybody with a fair degree of intelligence can get through it
quickly."
However, state officials have asked him to complete another ethics
training course for "noncompliant employees," which they sent him in the
mail. The letter sent to the professors states how long it took them to
complete the test, and reads: "Contrary to instructions, you appear to
have failed to carefully read and review the subject matter contained in
the program's introduction and the lessons." After completing the
course, Williams and others were told to sign a letter acknowledging
their participation in the "ethics orientation for noncompliant
employees.". . .
Drawing a line, he and at least three other professors at Southern
Illinois refused to sign the form by last week's deadline. "We're going
to sue the state for the illegality of this training," said Marvin
Zeman, a professor of math and president of the faculty union, which is
affilated with the National Education Association.
Zeman has also refused the sign the form. His letter from the state
inspector general charged that he had completed the test in only 6.18
minutes. . .
"Each question had four choices and you don't have to be a rocket
scientist to figure it out," he said. . .
http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/01/23/siuc
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INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION - Certainly not Tony Williams. After passing a
new online test on ethics required of all state employees, [Tony
Williams, a tenured professor] in the English department at Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale received a notice from his university
ethics officer and from the state inspector general that he was not in
compliance with state ethics regulations, a failure that state officials
said could result in punishment that included dismissal. The reason? He
had completed the test too quickly.
"It's a very simple test designed for thousands of state employees, and
it's more relevant for people in purchasing or positions of power," he
said. "Anybody with a fair degree of intelligence can get through it
quickly."
However, state officials have asked him to complete another ethics
training course for "noncompliant employees," which they sent him in the
mail. The letter sent to the professors states how long it took them to
complete the test, and reads: "Contrary to instructions, you appear to
have failed to carefully read and review the subject matter contained in
the program's introduction and the lessons." After completing the
course, Williams and others were told to sign a letter acknowledging
their participation in the "ethics orientation for noncompliant
employees.". . .
Drawing a line, he and at least three other professors at Southern
Illinois refused to sign the form by last week's deadline. "We're going
to sue the state for the illegality of this training," said Marvin
Zeman, a professor of math and president of the faculty union, which is
affilated with the National Education Association.
Zeman has also refused the sign the form. His letter from the state
inspector general charged that he had completed the test in only 6.18
minutes. . .
"Each question had four choices and you don't have to be a rocket
scientist to figure it out," he said. . .
http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/01/23/siuc
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