Cornell - FACTS -2

THE TWO MISINFORMED REFEREE'S LETTERS IN GRANT'S FILE

7.

Of the seven referees who Grant did NOT know:

Four recommended tenured/promotion

Eric Fredricksen (The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor)
Paul Kassel (Bradley University)
Alan MacVey (The University of Iowa)
Mark E. Olsen (The University of Houston)

One Abstained

Alice N. Benston (Emory University)

Two INCORRECTLY denied Grant tenure/promotion

Denise L. Gabriel (Athens Ohio)
Joel G. Fink (University of Colorado at Boulder)

2.

Joel G. Fink

(University of Colorado at Boulder)

Mr. Fink misread Grant's CV, and assumed that he had only done ONE professional productions from 1989-1995. Fink wrote:

"Because his [Grant's] acting credits are not dated, I do not know which have been in the past 6 years, however, only one seems to be outside the academic realm."

He also wrote:

"... I am working from the assumption that it is Professor Grant's work since coming to Cornell that is being considered as the primary focus of his tenure review."

Mr. Fink is mistaken. Grant completed NINE residencies in EQUITY Theatres under EQUITY contracts during the six-year period from 1989 (when he joined the Cornell faculty) to 1995 (when he went up for tenure/promotion)

1. The Indiana Rep (EQUITY Contract) played Don Pedro in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

2. The Connecticut Rep (EQUITY Contract) played Evelyn in ANYTHING GOES.

3. The Nebraska Rep (EQUITY Contract) Directed

SHE LOVES ME.

4. SYRACUSE STAGE (EQUTY Contract) played Jussup in

A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

5. The Connecticut Rep (EQUITY Guest Artist Contract)

played Bono in FENCES.

6. Connecticut Rep (EQUITY Contract) Directed and Choreographed SOUTH PACIFIC.

7. AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (EQUITY STAGED READING Contract)

8. The York Theatre (EQUITY THEATRE, NYC) THE ADVENTURES OF PERICLES.

9. The Hangar Theatre (EQUITY THEATRE) Directed a reading of THE PARTY.

10. Nyack Theatre, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, played Caiaphas.

Mr. Grant also completed TWO teaching residencise during the same six year period.

1. Dartmouth College - (Teaching/Directing residency)

2. SUNY Binghamton - (Teaching residency)

Moreover, Mr. Fink's letter is not negative at all but overwhelmingly positive because Mr. Fink writes about the fact that Grant had, "considerable previous professional experience":

"...I note from his [Mr. Grant's] CV that Professor Grant has considerable previous professional experience. If this work was to be considered towards promotion/tenure, it would have been expected that he would either have been hired at a higher rank (given his past history as an assistant professor at various institutions), or have come up for tenure sooner. Since these options don't seem to have been the case..."

After basing his decision on an incorrect assumptions about Mr. Grant's having only ONE professional residency-- Joel G. Fink writes:

"...I believe that his candidacy for promotion and tenure would be problematic."

No one corrected Mr. Fink's mistaken assumption that Mr. Grant's had worked in only one EQUITY (Professional) theatre from 1989-1995.

FINK'S LETTER

1. Denise L.Gabriel

(Athens Ohio)
Ms. Gabriel based her

negative assessment on

Grant's written submissions,

she wrote,

"The concern is with the two articles I received."

Grant should not have been presented to the outside evaluators as an academic scholar.

Grant's areas of expertise were acting, directing, choreography, teaching, and performance.

No one contacted Ms. Gabriel to correct her with the following Cornell University policy:

Performance Credits are Equivilant to Scholary Accomplishments

7.

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