To: Tom Buchanan, University President
UW: Protect Testifying Students from Retribution!
Without ensuring confidentiality of identity, the power dynamic within the grade appeals process ensures that no student will testify against an instructor, a shameless mechanism for suppressing potentially damning corroborative testimony. We, the undersigned, assert our conviction that, within the grade appeals process, the University must permit and facilitate the submission of confidential witness deposition by a neutral third party, bound by a legal non-disclosure agreement preventing divulgence of witness identities.
Why is this important?
My husband is pursuing a grade appeal against a biased and vindictive teacher, and while many students have witnessed the copiousinfractions upon which the appeal is based, they are all too scared to testify at the hearing; there are reports that the instructor intimidated students into not testifying against her, and even into testifying on her behalf. In an educational institution, in which the free exchange of ideas is paramount, we must have a system to ensure that students' may submit testimony without the slightest fear of retaliation.