Alleging 'good-old-boyism' in Hottois hiring,
professor resigns from review committee
By Jodie Salz Argonaut Senior Staff
In a statement of protest to the hiring of former Lewis-Clark State College President James Hottois, Molly Stock, UI Professor, recently resigned as chair of the University of Idaho committee to study post-tenure review.
Hottois stepped down from LCSC May 5 after signing a contract
in April to become a senior lecturer for the UI Political Science
Department. Stock, who chaired a search and hiring committee,
believes the hiring of Hottois was completely unfair and none
of the usually strict employment rules were followed.
Stock said she resigned from the committee as a statement for
the faculty in general, and the unfairness of some people being
allowed to evade the rules everyone else has to follow.
She said she still greatly supports the post-tenure review committee
and will continue to work on it behind the scenes.
According to Stock, search committees exist in order to create
a fair employment environment.
There are certain rules as to where a position must be advertised
and for how long. In order to increase the diversity and quality
of faculty employed at this university, rules also exist regarding
the interview and hiring process, she said.
In hiring Hottois, Stock said there was no search, no position
advertised and no interviewing process. Instead, Hottois was
hired by UI President Hoover in conjunction with the State Board
of Education, without following any of the usual procedures.
He was hired for a position that previously didn't exist, and
for a salary vastly higher than a majority of UI faculty and
professors receive, Stock said.
Hottois declined comment on Stock's statements.
Provost Brain Pitcher agreed that Hottois is getting paid considerably
more than most UI faculty and staff.
Kurt Olsson, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences, said
that negotiations between Hottois and the state board did not
follow the usual hiring process.
"We usually advertise nationally and get a number of applicants,"
Olsson said. "This was someone already hired and employed
by the board."
Stock believes this is "demoralizing to the faculty,"
who have worked here for many years and are full professors,
yet make considerably less money than a newly hired lecturer.
"You can't just hire your friends anymore," Stock said.
"This was a classic case of 'good-old-boyism.'"
Hoover was unavailable for comment.
This year, the state is paying Hottois $96,780 to lecture two
Political Science 101 classes.
Due to Hottois's administrative background, he was not hired
as a full professor. According to Stock, in most cases his position
would be given to someone without a Ph.D., or a recent recipient,
who would probably earn about a quarter of his salary.
If Hottois stays on next year it is unclear whether UI or the
State Board will be paying his $70,000 salary.
According to Stock, it is highly likely that the university will
end up paying his salary. Even his $96,780 UI contract was signed
before the university knew that the state would pay his wages,
Stock said.
Stock has been a UI professor of forest resources and computer
science since 1974.
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