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Professor says school punishment unfair

By Francesca Chambers

Friday, September 12, 2008

A KU professor who was recently placed on administrative leave and banned from his office said the University of Kansas was unjustly punishing him.

Tom Schreiber, an associate psychology professor, received a paid leave of absence notice on Aug. 29 that banned him from his office in Fraser Hall until further notice.

According to Schreiber, the letter said he was being placed on leave because he had been keeping his cat, Persephone, and a sleeping bag in his office, which led University officials to believe he was living there. The letter also said he was being reprimanded because his office was disorganized.

But Schreiber said he had relocated Persephone two days prior to the note. He also said officials were mistaken about the sleeping bag as well, which was really a dog bed a student had left in his office.

He said the disorganization of his office was not justification for their actions because his office has been messy since he came to the University 14 years ago, and he had never been reprimanded before.

Schreiber said he had been working in his office until late at night in the days leading up to his temporary dismissal, but that he was by no means living in his office. He said even if he was, the psychology department should have asked him if he needed help.

Schreiber said he thought there might be a connection between his present situation and his attempts to publicize scientific treatments for several diseases, including Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington’s Disease.

He was scheduled to give talks the last week at Spooner Hall on his research, but the talks were canceled because Schreiber was also arrested at the time he was banished.

According to Schreiber, he was arrested after the three KU Public Safety officers who served him his notice realized there were two Lawrence Police Department warrants out for his arrest. Schreiber had failed to appear in court for two traffic tickets the week before, resulting in the warrants.

Schreiber said the officers purposely took a long time searching and handcuffing him, and that he was publicly embarrassed.

“You see a professor, me, getting carried away in handcuffs and you think, ‘Oh my God! What did he do? Rape someone?’” he said.

Capt. Schuyler Bailey, spokesperson for the KU Public Safety Office, said he couldn’t comment on the specific situation because he wasn’t there. Bailey, however, said it was their policy and the jail’s policy to restrain arrestees for the safety of the officers.

Schreiber then served 10 days in jail because he could not pay his bail. He was released Monday.

Schreiber said he still does not have access to the personal items that were in his office.

Todd Cohen, director of University Relations, declined to comment about anything involving Schreiber.

Schreiber said he was not angry nor did he want the University to apologize for its actions. His only request is that the University helps him fulfill what he believes is his social responsibility — getting his treatment into people’s hands.

“This is not about personal glory. This about people’s lives,” he said.

— — Edited by Arthur Hur

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