Popular teacher denied tenure

Allegations of sexism have been fired at the UB administration after Lynne Kurdziel-Formato, a popular and well-respected UB teacher of over twenty years, was denied tenure this past year.

Kurdziel-Formato, an assistant professor for the department of theater and dance, was denied tenure in November and then forced to leave UB, despite pleas and demonstrations from students. An appeal soon followed and was also denied.

Gerald Finnegan, associate professor in acting, said assistant professors apply for tenure after serving seven years in that position. There is then a three-step process, which includes reviews from their department as well as reviews from the president and provost of the university.

"If the person applying for tenure is approved they then are offered job protection. If they happen to be denied they are told to leave their job or have one year to find another position," Finnegan said.

According to Finnegan, Kurdziel-Formato received unanimous positive votes through all levels until President John Simpson and Provost Satish Tripathi reviewed her.

"All of a sudden she was turned down and not told why," Finnegan said.

According to Tripathi, the situation was an "internal personnel matter and it's not appropriate for me to comment on it."

"It's always difficult with somebody not getting tenure," Tripathi said. "But really what you're looking at is the record of the people and making decisions."

As for rumors that he or Simpson discriminate against women or the arts departments at UB, Tripathi said all someone needs to do is look at their records.

"I don't think there's anything like that," he said.

Tripathi added that his office submits its tenure statistics to the professor's union here at UB, and these denials were done no differently than any others. The three major fields for tenure, he said, are research and scholarship, teaching and services, and creative activity. Those requirements have not changed.

According to Beth DelGenio, the provost's chief of staff, this past year four people were denied promotion to associate professor and denied tenure. Those numbers, she said, are on par with statistics of the past several years.

One was denied in 2002-2003. Four were denied in 2001-2002.

Whether it's the average or not, many said they were surprised by Kurdziel-Formato's rejection.

"It was a lot of shock," Brian Butera said, a former student of Kurdziel-Formato and senior musical theater major. "Her students were so upset. She is so many things to so many people."

Butera had Kurdziel-Formato as his professor for over a decade.

"She was absolutely remarkable and an extremely thorough teacher," he said. "I don't know anyone who supports the decision that was made."

Last year, Kurdziel-Formato was also the winner of a Milton Plesur award, an award that recognizes the student's favorite professors.

Butera added that there were many students who only had Kurdziel-Formato for one year and reacted very strongly to the decision by petitioning and writing letters to the administration.

Kurdziel-Formato said she believes the decision made by the administration was a very disrespectful action.

"I worked twenty years at this institution, I helped build the music and theater program and recruited hundreds of students into the program," Kurdziel-Formato said.

"This was not a decision made by my department or the College of Arts and Sciences. This decision was made by two men from California who were new to the university," she added.

The department of theater and dance was further hit by the loss of Tressa Crehan, also an assistant professor and respected teacher, when she was denied tenure.

Crehan has since found a temporary position.

According to Kurdziel-Formato three of the four people denied tenure were women and she's not sure if it's a coincidence.

Kurdziel-Formato said she still does not know for sure why she was denied.

Michael Formato, the production manager for the theater and dance department and Lynne's husband, said the administration never gave a written reason for her denial.

"It is maddening not knowing why," he said. "They threw away a unique and rare talent."

"Why am I being punished for doing what I was told to do?" Kurdziel-Formato asked.

Kurdziel-Formato added that she had many job offers in the past but chose to stay at UB because she is a Buffalo native and dedicated to her students.

"Why would you want to be an educator unless your product was your student's success and not personal glory?" she asked.

Kurdziel-Formato is now teaching at Elon University in North Carolina in their performing arts department. Her husband is still employed at UB.

"This was a learning experience," she said. "I just want to tell women that the fight is not over for recognition and equality."