A University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire employee is suing her employer for being removed from a position in the campus diversity office for allegedly being “White.”
The lawsuit alleges that when Rochelle Hoffman was promoted to UW-Eau Claire’s interim director of the campus’ Multicultural Student Services office, former Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Student Affairs Olga Diaz was told by students that a white woman was not appropriate to chair positions aimed at serving students of color.
“You hired a white woman as Interim Director?” a student cited in a federal complaint against the university.
According to the complaint, another student asked, “Do you personally feel that white staff can do as effective a job as people of color, in spaces for people of color?”
Hoffman said he felt compelled to resign last year after eight months of intense hostility and staff questioning his “legitimacy” after being promoted to interim director of the campus’ office of Multicultural Student Services, the complaint states.
Hoffman worked for the Blugold Beginnings campus office for six years before his promotion.
According to Wisconsin Public Radio, “the office serves underrepresented, low-income and first-generation college students.”
The office reportedly merged with the UW-Eau Claire Office of Multicultural Affairs last year.
“Despite Hoffman’s exceptional credentials, however, students, faculty and staff opposed his appointment as Interim Director of MSS simply because he is white,” the complaint alleges. “It is Hoffman’s exclusive identity as white that is at issue; criticism is about his race and color, not his qualifications.”
Hoffman said he felt compelled to resign last year after eight months of intense hostility and staff questioning his “legitimacy” after being promoted to interim director of the campus’ office of Multicultural Student Services. WKBT News 8 Now/YouTube
The complaint also says that while Hoffman worked at Blugold Beginnings and the Multicultural Student Services, his evaluations on performance reviews praised him as “exceeding expectations” and “Outstanding.”
The complaint further states, “Despite Hoffman’s exceptional credentials, however, students, faculty and staff opposed his appointment as Interim Director of MSS simply because he is white. It is exclusively Hoffman’s identity as white that is at issue; criticism is about his race and color, not his qualifications.”
After suing his employer on Dec. 14 in the Western District of Wisconsin, Hoffman now works as the senior academic advising coordinator for the university.
The lawsuit names the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Jim Schmidt, and Assistant Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Teresa O’Halloran.
A spokesperson from UW-Eau Claire sent Fox News Digital a statement about the lawsuit.
The lawsuit names the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Jim Schmidt, and Assistant Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Teresa O’Halloran. WKBT News 8 Now/YouTube
“As is the case with all pending litigation, UW-Eau Claire will not offer a statement or comment on the lawsuit. UW-Eau Claire does not discriminate on the basis of race in any employment decisions,” the spokesperson said.
The UW-Eau Claire Board of Regents sent the following statement to Fox News Digital, “We do not comment on pending litigation.”
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
