BYLINE: By Alejandra Cancino & Chad Smith, Independent Florida Alligator; SOURCE: U. Florida

LENGTH: 518 words

DATELINE: GAINESVILLE, Fla.

February 16, 2007 Friday

Some graduate students in the University of Florida’s sociology department feel intimidated and discriminated against by professors in their department, a report stated.

A summary of the Office of Human Resource Services’ report stated that graduate students in the sociology department have been told not to “‘rock the boat’ by appearing to challenge the faculty.”

“This appears to translate into students being told to ‘play the game’ to succeed in the classroom and the program,” it stated.

The report was compiled from November interviews with 35 of about 60 sociology graduate students.

Jodi Gentry, associate director for the office’s Training and Organizational Development, said the report was not an investigation but merely a reflection of how the students perceived the situation. She helped conduct the discussions with the graduate students.

Some department officials said they are surprised at the report’s findings.

Chairwoman of the sociology department, Connie Shehan, said she thinks the main problem is a lack of communication between the faculty, administrators and students.

Shehan requested the report in response to a survey conducted by graduate students, which voiced concerns about the “unhealthy cultural climate” in the department.

Before releasing the report to graduate students last week, Shehan included a summary of faculty responses, which were obtained in a meeting. Many of their responses indicated that faculty plans to improve their relationship with students.

The recent report also suggested discrimination in the department, stating that students felt faculty members used “inappropriate comments about gender and ethnic origin.”

Milagros Pena, associate professor of sociology and women’s studies, said that, as a minority, she was shocked to hear that students felt discriminated against by the remarks of some of her colleagues. The report does not disclose the faculty names students brought up.

But it states that some students have not been open about the issues mentioned in the report because they feel intimidated. “Some students believe that challenging faculty results in lowered grades and lessened opportunities at some later point,” the report stated.

Rob Heck, a graduate student in the sociology department, said though he has not been discriminated against, he has witnessed discrimination. He said talking to the Office of Human Resource Services was his way helping those who have been discriminated against.

“I have to fix this right now, because I didn’t report it when it happened,” he said.

Deeb Kitchen, co-president of Graduate Assistants United and a sociology graduate student, said the report is a “fairly good assessment.”

He said some faculty members have accepted the intimidation and discrimination.

“I think it’s just a culture that exists in so many ways,” he said.

However, he said the report was a good way to start a dialogue about the problems.

Shehan said she hopes the report would open the lines of communications between students and faculty and invites students to share their concerns with her.

(C) 2007 Independent Florida Alligator via U-WIRE