December 16, 2020

Update: University of Mississippi Sidelines Embattled Ombuds

The Mississippi Free Press reports that the campus Ombuds, Paul Caffera, has been placed on administrative leave pending the appointment of an interim replacement. Caffera, who was appointed in 2017, has been embroiled in an exploding conflict between faculty and administrators after giving upward feedback about racism and gender discrimination. MFP reporter Ashton Pittman has been covering the situation extensively.

In a statement to the press, Caffera's attorney said, “The University asked Mr. Caffera to divulge confidential information, and threatened (him) with adverse employment action for failure to do so. Notably, the EO/RC investigation advised Mr. Caffera that it may refer matters to the University Police Department for criminal prosecution.” No other details have been published and the UM Ombuds website is still active. (Mississippi Free Press; Ashton Pittman Twitter; UM Ombuds.)

6 comments:

  1. The concerted efforts by the leaders at Ole Miss to stifle 1st Amendment rights of their employees sounds like it places the leadership in danger of federal criminal civil rights violations under 18 U.S. Code § 241 and 242.

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  2. It will be interesting to see if the imminent change in leadership at the US Department of Education will impact this situation

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  3. Ole Miss sounds like a cluster f**k of an institution. Everyone who can should probably run away as fast as they can.

    https://www.chronicle.com/article/his-university-celebrated-his-success-then-it-fired-him

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  4. The dumpster fire that is Ole Miss appears to be burning hotter than ever. Really, wherever Caffera ends up will be better than that place he is right now.

    https://www.mississippifreepress.org/7602/um-appoints-acting-ombuds-as-weary-faculty-see-effort-to-stamp-out-anti-racism-voices/

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  5. Sorry but I was hoping to make this anonymous: http://chng.it/GskC6b9nzM

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  6. It is becoming clear that the EORC is involved in a lot of bad stuff at the university, and supervisors and the administration use it to silence people who draw attention to things that shouldn't be happening. Some talk of turning to the FBI for help with repeated attacks on civil rights as these kinds of things are criminal offenses.

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