Ex-prof accuses YSU of discrimination

YOUNGSTOWN — A former assistant professor of engineering at Youngstown State University has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the university and a former dean, seeking reinstatement, back pay and more.

John H. George, 56, of Canfield, hired by YSU in its mechanical engineering technology program in the College of Engineering and Technology in 2000, said the university and Cynthia S. Hirtzel, former dean of the college, discriminated against him in their denial of his request for tenure.

The lawsuit, filed Dec. 13 with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, alleges discrimination by race, sex and age.

George was fired by the university in May of this year.

The university dismisses those to whom it has denied tenure.

The lawsuit saysGeorge was on the tenure track at YSU and signed a tenure track contract with the university in September 2005.

That same month, the majority of the tenured faculty in the School of Technology recommended support for his bid for tenure, and the chairman of his department, Dr. William Wood, recommended tenure as well, according to the court filing.

However, in October 2005, Hirtzel recommended against tenure, the lawsuit said, and, that same month, Provost Robert Herbert also recommended against tenure.

In November 2005, the School of Technology faculty recommended support for George to be promoted to associate professor, the lawsuit said, but that same month, YSU President David C. Sweet didn’t award him tenure — effectively blocking his application for promotion.

The court filing said George appealed the denial of tenure in December 2005 and a three-member Tenure Appeal Committee unanimously recommended in February 2006 that he be awarded tenure. However, in May 2006, George received a letter from Sweet again denying tenure and he was terminated that same month, the lawsuit said.

George said in the filing that he learned in March 2006 that the university had instituted a special hiring category, originally for blacks but later expanded to include Hispanics, that created five faculty position slots designated as minority only. Around that same time, he said he also learned that Hirtzel had told others that her goal was to get new faces into the College of Engineering and Technology.

He said he learned in April 2006 that his position had been targeted as one of those slots.

Other information he received indicated that Hirtzel wanted to fill his position with a racial minority and/or a younger individual, the lawsuit said.

His lawsuit identifies George as a “Caucasian male.”