The Decanal Discussion: Day 3
Posted on April 17th, 2007 in Uncategorized | 20 Comments »
Here’s a name that’s been raised but I’d neglected to include on my previous list: Jorqe Dominguez, a professor of government and vice-provost for international affairs. (By the way, Gazette photographer linked to thereânice photo.)
I saw Dominguez speak recently in Toronto, and he’s certainly good with a crowd: calm, witty, polished. He’s also specializing in an areaâinternationalizationâthat’s of huge importance to the university.
Would he make a good dean? You tell me.
20 Responses
4/17/2007 9:38 am
You need to go back to his past to see why he would not be a good Dean.
4/17/2007 9:49 am
Let’s be honest about this rather than just implying.
I’m well aware that quite some time ago Dominguez was involved in a sexual harassment case for which he was reprimanded, though I don’t know all the details. The case went public and has been reported on in the media.
As is frequently, perhaps usually, the case with any outsider in such things, I can’t possibly say I know what happened. (As in the Duke case, it’s usually easier to determine what did not happen.)
If the allegations were not true, they shouldn’t be an issue.
If they were, do they automatically disqualify Dominguez? Again, I don’t know details. But let me posit that nothing of this nature has happened since: Should the man still be punished for a long-ago mistake?
I’m really not asking these questions rhetorically. I don’t know the answers. I’m just saying that if Dominguez is really a decanal candidate, then these issues should be honestly aired, rather than whispered behind closed doors.
4/17/2007 10:11 am
Google “Jorge Dominguez harassment” to see what happened. A fully adjudicated case. Has been a bar to posts involving direct authority over other faculty.
4/17/2007 10:18 am
25 years ago. So…still a problem or not? Or maybe the better question is, if it is still a problem, should it be?
Again, not rhetorical questions….
4/17/2007 10:24 am
Come on Richard, this is a university with lots of young people and huge potential for abuse. Of course, Jorge Dominquez’s past is still a problem. Half of the university would go nuts if he were appointed. I’ve also heard from his colleagues that the well-known case was not an isolated thing but the thing that made it to the surface.
4/17/2007 10:35 am
To the last anon: I’m sure you’re right that for practical purposes Dominguez’s past is still a problem. That doesn’t answer the question of whether it should beâwhether a man can ever be forgiven for doing something wrong? Whether a man can change?
Now, you suggest that Dominguez had a larger problem than was reported. This does fall into the realm of rumor-mongering…but even if it were true, that’s still 25 years ago.
4/17/2007 10:47 am
Adored by his students and by anyone who really knows the man (rather than a twenty-five-year-old story, one missing many details).
4/17/2007 11:41 am
25 years ago or not, it should be held against him. Not for all jobs of course but for the FAS dean job. It’s too risky. A person’s personality defects get magnified when they’re in power positions. Didn’t we learn this lesson with Summers? Remember that the Corp was told that he was reformed too.
And think of the liability for Harvard if someone were to accuse JD of sexual harassment in his role as the dean.
4/17/2007 12:24 pm
Richard, I hate to bring it up again that you’re a man because it’s already come up recently. You would not be so willing though to think of Dominguez as dean if you were a woman. Harvard is a tough enough place for female profs and students already. They don’t need a dean with a bad record to add to their worries.
4/17/2007 12:30 pm
I take the point and try to be sensitive to these things…but what if Dominguez is actually better on these issues because of the experience?
Doubtful, but possible.
I’m just saying, it’s not so black and white….
4/17/2007 2:30 pm
As an undergraduate at the time the charges (yes, two different accusers, and both substantiated claims by investigation) were raised against Dominguez, I am amazed that he was allowed to keep his job. It is rehabilitation enough to allow him to serve on committees now (remember, he was stripped of that at the time) and to continue to puruse his academic work. He could not be expected to deal with issues of sexual harassment as the FAS Dean-any decision on his part to pursue/not puruse a claim of harassment, for example, would be viewed through the lens of the past.
4/17/2007 2:34 pm
Well, this latter is certainly trueâDominguez would have to recuse himself from any such matter.
A preponderance of argument seems to be running against Dominguez here. Anyone want to stick up for him?
4/18/2007 12:40 am
Dominguez is a man of extraordinary achievement, wisdom and experience. He is very effective in what he does. He is certainly a scholar of stature, a great teacher and someone who cares deeply about teaching.
He may have made a huge error of judgement and of character 25 years ago, for which he certainly paid a heavy price. If anything of that sort had ever happened again it would be known. So we must presume it has not even though he has had plenty of authority over women and men during the last 25 years.
Is it likely that someone with this shadow in the past would incur in a similar mistake if in the position of Dean? very doubtful. Why would a man in his sixties risk the respect of his wife , daughters and grandchildren, over a form of abuse which has already cost him dearly?
If anything, we can be certain that Jorge Dominguez is the least likely candidate to ever abuse his position of authority as Dean. But he does have a past tarnished for something that happened a quarter of a century ago and the question is how forgiving can the FAS faculty, the students, the Corporation and Drew Faust be to accept a man with the flaws that make him human?
Of course, the only reason the question matters is because the man is so incredibly qualified otherwise. Were it not for this dark spot in his past there would be no question that he should be Dean -and would have been so already-. So how much forgiveness does an extraordinary Professor qualified to be Dean deserve.
4/18/2007 12:46 am
I don understand 9.38am comment above. If you do look at his past as an academic administrator all you see is extraordinary achievement.
If you are refering to the single episode of alleged sexual harrassment for which he has paid a hefty price over the last 25 years, how exactly does that relate to his ability to be a good Dean?
4/18/2007 12:50 am
What nonsense! Even without the baggage, which certainly turns him into “road kill”, a term used of other, unsullied, candidates on this blog (2:30 p.m. says it all: if in doubt LOOK AT 2:30!!), JD is not that impressive and has not given any evidence he should/could assume such a position. Get serious.
4/18/2007 1:13 am
Theda, are you working late hours on this blog?
4/18/2007 1:24 am
Not much later than you, Jorge.
4/18/2007 1:43 am
Someone is intent on disqualifying Dominguez for the position of Dean? Why? he must be a serious contender…
Just for the record, however, 25 years ago the University did not have the unambiguous policies it now does have regarding the definition of harrassment. Should episodes that happened before these definitions and written policies existed be grandfathered into the new regulations?
Should every faculty member who has ever been involved in a sexual relationship, heterosexual or homosexual, with a colleague, staff or student, be barred from the faculty? How many of the current faculty would then have to be barred?
Such relationships obviously are problematic. But they exist and they are more common than many would like to admit, at least in public. Many of these relationships have ended the marriages of faculty, or have expedited the disolution of unhappy marriages, some have ended in happy marriages or unions.
Things are obviously more complicated when there is power involved… and of course when things hit the fan is when one of the parties goes public with an accusation of harrassment.
Harvard Faculty of course should have good judgement, ideally they should never be embroiled in a scandal such as the one that President Clinton was recently involved in. But Harvard faculty are human and they do get embroiled in complicated situations, sexual and otherwise.
Should Harvard institute higher standards for the Deans and senior administrators. If so, how many would meet the test of having been faithful all their lives to partners in a monogamous relationship and never be seduced by the temptations of the flesh?
4/18/2007 3:06 am
Get serious? Anyone who says Jorge is “not that impressive” has absolutely no idea what he/she is talking about. 12:40 hit it right on the head, he made some mistakes twenty-five years ago but has more than paid for it over the many years, and his qualifications leave all of the others in the dust. I’m talking pure scholarly achievement and administrative prowess, it’s there and it easily beats the same for the other three names discussed. I’ve thought long and hard, and I’m prepared to believe he has put those troubles far behind him and he’s very likely a better man, and better candidate, for it.
4/18/2007 8:49 am
When the search for Dean is down to the last few finalists they should all be compared on many dimensions.
Assuming they were all equal in demonstrated intelligence, skill, accomplishment, character and leadership, it would be fair to look into their private emotional lives, past and present. Much weigh should be given to the present for who wants a Dean who has a screwed up emotional life? The main questions then should be do they have a partner at present whom they love and who loves them? are they capable of sustaining healthy emotional attachments? can they care and love?
Perhaps these questions should have been asked of LHS prior to his appointment, and perhaps they should have been asked of all current deans and senior administrators.