Although I generally look forward to each new edition of e Spectator to see the latest on students’ minds – there is a newspaper stand right by my department’s office in the 1103 Building – I have to tell you I was greatly disappointed by the front page of the most recent, March 7th, 2018 edition. In fact, I would go so far as to say, “Shame on you.” except that I know you are not exploiting sensationalism for profit. Even so, I felt more like I was picking up e National Enquirer, not the well-measured student newspaper that I usually find The Spectator to be.

Granted, the fact that a person with a felony conviction of sexual misconduct with a minor was hired as a teacher at SU is disturbing. However, the Spectator headline implies that the crime occurred a er the faculty member joined the SU faculty, and then was red. In fact, as the Interim Provost’s e-mail (and the article’s content) points out, this Assistant Professor, at the time of hiring, revealed his criminal history through self-disclosure as well as through the background check he completed. To imply this person did otherwise is both inaccurate and unfair. As unappealing as it may seem, even a sex-o ender deserves to be represented impartially.

The real news is here is the aw in SU’s hiring process. However, the fact that the university has been open about the problem and is taking steps to fix it is to be commended.

—Heidi A. Beck, Instructor, English Language Learning Center