To: Dr. Mark B. Rosenberg, President of Florida International Universtity
WE DEMAND THAT FIU REHIRE DR. SYLVAN JOLIBOIS
Dr. Sylvan Jolibois, Jr., is a Haitian American Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and a 20-year veteran of the Florida International University’s College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), who has filed a discrimination lawsuit against Florida International University (FIU) alleging racial and ethnic discrimination because of his desire to establish an FIU affiliated program in Port Au Prince that would make a serious contribution to Haiti's reconstruction effort following the 2010 earthquake.
The lawsuit, which will be heard in U.S. District Court in Miami, in September, accuses the university of wrongfully denying him a sabbatical leave to Haiti and of unjustly firing him at the end of 2013 when he questioned the motives behind the denial of his sabbatical.
We demand that FIU rehire Dr. Jolibois with full back pay and that it grant his request for a sabbatical in Haiti.
The lawsuit, which will be heard in U.S. District Court in Miami, in September, accuses the university of wrongfully denying him a sabbatical leave to Haiti and of unjustly firing him at the end of 2013 when he questioned the motives behind the denial of his sabbatical.
We demand that FIU rehire Dr. Jolibois with full back pay and that it grant his request for a sabbatical in Haiti.
Why is this important?
The firing of Dr. Jolibois because of his strong advocacy in behalf of the Haitian people set's a very dangerous precedent that will have a chilling effect on academic freedom and employees rights on campus. FIU should be an institution that promotes the highest standards in ethics and discrimination because of ones views or ethnic origins should not be tolerated. It is urgent that the University take action today and rehire Dr. Jolibois be rehired immediately.