Following disciplinary action regarding a USC Faculty Handbook violation which involved “actions that were harassing, abusive, or intimidating against students of the University,” tenured English Professor Carol Muske-Dukes filed a writ petition on Feb. 16 against USC on the grounds of an alleged due process violation. Upon deciding that Muske-Dukes’ emails to students were excessive and harassing in addition to breaching a student’s privacy, the University suspended the professor for the Fall 2020 semester without pay.
“From November 2018 through October 2019, USC conducted an investigation into accusations of misconduct by a few graduate students against [Muske-Dukes],” according to the petition filed by Muske-Dukes’ attorney Arthur Willner. “For most of that period, USC hid the investigation from [Muske-Dukes], failed to notify her of the charges against her or to identify her accusers, and failed to permit her to review the evidence.”
One complaint against Muske-Dukes involved the sharing of a private letter written by a student about English Professor Mark Irwin’s alleged racist and sexist remarks during class. Muske-Dukes shared this letter with another student without the permission of the student who wrote the letter, according to the complaint.
Another complaint stems from excessive emailing regarding a professional opportunity for a book deal set up by Muske-Dukes. According to the petition, the student was not responding to this offer in a timely manner, and was being contacted repeatedly by the professor. Nonetheless, the student accepted the offer and thanked Muske-Dukes for helping set up the book deal, according to the complaint.
“In short, the Committee on Professional Responsibility imposed sanctions that were financially devastating and publicly humiliating on a 74-year old tenured professor who had served USC for 35 years without any history of prior discipline or complaints,” Willner said in the petition in regards to the University’s disciplinary decision.
After Muske-Dukes filed an appeal to the University’s decision, Dr. Elizabeth Graddy, Executive Vice Provost, reviewed the case and decided to uphold the University’s decision on Feb. 6, 2020 with one exception: instead of Muske-Dukes not being allowed to advise students entirely, the dean of her department can determine after her counseling if she is fit to advise students again, according to the petition.
Following Graddy’s orders on the appeal, Muske-Dukes filed a grievance, for which a hearing was held on April 10. During the hearing, the professor was only allowed to bring forth issues with the appeal rather than the underlying charges against her, according to the petition provided by her attorney.
This hearing resulted in the charges being upheld, however, the Grievance Hearing Board recommended a lesser punishment based on Muske-Dukes’ plans to retire in 2022. Despite this recommendation, USC President Carol Folt decided to continue with the original disciplinary decision, according to the petition.
When contacted by the Annenberg Media Center, both Muske-Dukes and her attorney declined to comment on the impending litigation.
“The university stands by its investigation and sanctioning process and plans to vigorously defend itself against this baseless lawsuit,” according to a statement issued by USC to the Annenberg Media Center.