Were I a professor employed by a University -- which, coincidentally enough, I am -- and had to plead guilty to (essentially) corruption, alongside being pilloried in the press as a participant in the "South Bay Corruption Scandal," I'm not sure that I'd care deeply about my particular status at the University. More likely, I'd just feel pretty fortunate to still have a job.
But Arlie Ricasa feels otherwise. She was at Southwestern College -- even serving as interim Dean at one point, apparently -- "until she was selected
to serve as Southwestern's director of Student Development and Health Services (DSD),
an academic administrator position." A nice, tenured position. But then, after that whole "pleading guilty" thing, she was "demoted . . . from an academic administrator
position to a faculty position on the grounds of moral turpitude, immoral conduct, and
unfitness to serve in her then-current role." So she sues.
Personally, I wouldn't call being moved from "an academic administrator position to a faculty position" a "demotion". I'd see it more like manna from the grace of God. But, hey, that's me. I'm reasonably confident that being an administrator at a University is one of the various circles of Hell. Whereas being a faculty member is reserved for reincarnated versions of Ghandi and the like. Maybe you won't accomplish much in this life, but hey, here's your reward for all those good deeds you did in your prior version. Sit around and write and talk about whatever you feel like and get paid for it. Enjoy.
But, again, that's just my personal take. Plus, if I ever had a similar administrative position to Ms. Ricasa's, I'd be "Dean Martin." Too weird.
Regardless, she files a writ, but loses. Next time, maybe don't take that $1800 from a vendor (during business hours at Southwestern, no less) so your daughter can attend a "conference" st some fairly nice place, I imagine. Then not report it. Ain't going to look good on your resume.
Though, remember, you're still a faculty member. So anything marginally bad you did in this life undoubtedly pales in comparison to (1) the rest of your cushy world, and (2) what got you there in the first place.
At least if you believe in that whole karma and reincarnation stuff.
None of which strikes me as true. But still cool to think about.
