Purdue News

September 10, 1998 Purdue moves to dismiss professor WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University is pursuing formal action to dismiss from its faculty an assistant professor who admitted trying to force his attentions on a female undergraduate student. Dong X. Shaw will face a hearing before the Faculty Committee on Censure and Dismissal Proceedings, Joseph L. Bennett, vice president for university relations, said today (9/10). A hearing date has not yet been set, but Shaw received formal notice of the action on April 3, 1998, Bennett said. Shaw, an assistant professor of industrial engineering, was arrested and charged with two counts of stalking in September, 1996. A Tippecanoe County Court 1 jury acquitted him of the felony charges last week. However, Bennett said the criminal proceedings have no bearing on the university's action. "Professor Shaw admitted several clear violations of university policy during the investigation and during the trial," Bennett said. "He admitted that he visited the woman's residence hall unannounced, uninvited and unescorted, on two occasions; that he berated the student at a Christian fellowship gathering because she refused to go on a date with him; and that he went uninvited to her home in Schenectady, N.Y. The student claims that Professor Shaw's improper conduct had a very negative impact on her Purdue experience. "Each of these actions is inappropriate for a Purdue faculty member and constitutes improper conduct injurious to the welfare of the university. Purdue has an inviolable obligation to ensure its students a safe and non-threatening environment." Since his arrest in 1996, Shaw has been assigned to duties that do not bring him into regular contact with undergraduate students. Bennett said Shaw will continue in that capacity during the dismissal proceedings. Shaw has not been granted tenure status at Purdue. He currently serves under a two-year contract, which will expire when the current academic year ends in May, 1999. Bennett said Shaw was informed last May that his contract will not be renewed. If the faculty committee so advises, his employment with Purdue may be ended earlier. Under Purdue's policy for termination of a faculty member, the Committee on Censure and Dismissal Proceedings will review evidence, make a determination of guilt or innocence, and send its findings to the president. The final decision on dismissal of a faculty member rests with the Board of Trustees. Bennett said the policy does not specify a time limit on the process, but he estimated it would take several months. Source: Joseph L. Bennett, (765) 494-2082; e-mail, joe_bennett@purdue.edu Writer: Greg Zawisza, (765) 494-2086; e-mail, greg_zawisza@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page