UTMB WINS BURNING PANTS AWARD FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

It has been a while since the Blogmeister presented the coveted "Burning Pants Award," but UTMB Human Resources has earned it by doing such a fine job carrying administration's water during the Nesti retaliation "investigation." 

Nesti went to UTMB's Equal Opportunity office back in 2004 to complain about Pediatrics' advertising for a faculty member but hiring a young, male for director of the Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit, thereby denying her, an older female, the opportunity to even apply.  So, when she filed a retaliation complaint this year, one would think that Melvin Williams, the guy still listed in the directory as the "Director, Equal Opportunity and Diversity," would oversee the investigation.

Nope. 

Guess again.

The HR employee assigned to the case does NOT work for Williams.  She works for an equally powerless middle manager, who works for Kathy Shingleton, the director of HR. 

UTMB took Mr. Williams out of the loop back in 2006, as readers may recall.  Why?  Well, they never gave the Blogmeister a reason, but Mr. Williams' office found in favor of Dr. Nesti when she complained in 2004.  It's 2008 now, however, and Human Resources, that bastion of investigative prowess and integrity, found against Dr. Nesti despite the mountains of documentation that clearly show she outperforms her colleague in every category and that her "bad luck," culminating in her nonrenewal this year, started after she complained in 2004. So, the Blogmeister's guess is that they removed Mr. Williams because he wasn't, as administrators across the nation love to say, "a team player." He actually looked at the facts.    

UTMB wants to have its cake and eat it, too.  It wants an African-American listed as the Equal Opportunity Officer on its website (as of today), but UTMB's lily-white upper management tier has stripped away that African-American's power to actually enforce equal opportunity.

And now, UTMB Human Resources, for superior deception in the area of Equal Opportunity, the Blogmeister proudly presents you with the first "Burning Pants Award" for 2008!

Congratulations. I hope you're proud of yourselves.   

Comments

[Anonymous]

Rather than trying to give the "appearance" of running an honest and fair operation, it is obvious that UTMB's administration is going out of it's way to be unfair and unjust in how it deals with employee relations. No wonder employee morale, or what's left of it, is low and going lower. Is anyone, other than administration, willing to admit they are proud of being associated with UTMB?

[Anonymous]

The commentary was a bit overstated and rather melodramatic. Whether one agrees with the decision or not, to imply or "guess", that with the removal of an African American from the post reduces a "fair and balanced" review of any charges brought against the University is just that - a guess.

Based on my experiences with the office, I've seen nothing short of fierce doggedness during the course of their investigations. A review of the HR reps responsible for investigating any allegations shows a good mix of diversity. However, what's more important is their ability to provide impartial recommendations, regardless of the color of their skin.

I understand that your role calls for some level of partiality for your constituents, but fanning the flames of discrimination seems to be the easy way out.

So would you say that Garland Anderson's display of abuse and power at the SON last week was a bit overstated and melodramatic too? Was he fanning the flames or starting the fire? One thing is certain, his pants are on fire!

If HR "doggedly investigates" then the ball may be being dropped when they hand it off ?
Because things certainly dont seem OK where EEO is concerned.

[ERIK]

I would like to echo the point about Melvin Williams. He was a great asset in his former position in EEO. It is a shame that UTMB(U TREAT ME BAD) put someone so professional and objective out to pasture. Mr. Williams has been a great help to me and many others. I hope and pray that he is returned to his former position and his department put back together.