42 responses so far ↓

• 1 WC // Jun 30, 2008 at 8:07 pm

  Jake,

  Thanks again for the impeccable reporting. What an embarrassment this is for academe and especially the College of Education at UofL. I recall when Felner was hired and excitement was in the air. I recall one person on the search committee (also now gone from UofL) who spoke up and said all the news on this guy was NOT good. Yet, the other search committee members ignored the minority report and sung his praises. Many faculty members said we wanted him–he seemed fresh and energetic! Shame on us for allowing this hire to happen and neglecting to make a few simple phone calls. While I would never go so far as to say we deserve this, we are partly to blame for the hell that happened at UofL for 5 years. My bet is none of us will make this mistake again.

• 2 SheWho // Jun 30, 2008 at 10:18 pm

  One search committee member was aware of the sexual harassment allegations and also other issues from personal contacts at URI. The search committee was clearly aprised of this information ignored the facts that were presented. That person got out of Dodge ASAP and is VERY happy at the current university.

  Another search committee member spoke up to the search committee and their colleagues. That individual is still at UofL and was treated very cruelly when they were ill (just one of the endearing peculiarities of our former dean–if you were not for him you were against him and he had all of the power along with the cooperation of his ‘Lack of Leadership Team)

  Felner was the darling of individuals who were power hungry and wanted to ride into glory on his coat tails. Shame on those individuals. Those who tried to alert the faculty have been the target of not only Felner but his ‘posse’

  It is the fault of the LEADERSHIP (or lack thereof)–specifically the Provost and President that this situation continued and so many individuals were harmed and sacrificed.

  I keep on thinking of the addage “Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely”

• 3 Always Amazed // Jun 30, 2008 at 10:57 pm

  The CJ in particular is ignoring this because they think if they don’t talk about it, then our community won’t ever find out the truth. That is how the CJ treats all education issues, K-16. It’s the emperor’s new clothes! But wait! This generation’s social networking technology is blowing the doors off the emperor’s empty closet and the CJ can’t control this flow of information! Whatever will the CJ do? Thank you page one kentucky! Oh, and love this picture of Felner’s triple chins! It’s definitely his best side.

• 4 jake // Jun 30, 2008 at 11:13 pm

  The most personally disappointing part of this snafu is that the local mainstream media is ignoring this like I ignore my nosy, staring neighbor. I know they’re there, looking, but if I ignore them as I walk to my Jeep I feel a whole hell of a lot better about life.

• 5 Judy // Jun 30, 2008 at 11:33 pm

  Just think — Felner pulled down $255,000 a year, while staff positions at UofL were cut and while students watched tuition soar approx. 10% per year. Where is Ramsey on this scandal?

• 6 factsman // Jun 30, 2008 at 11:43 pm

  I have been watching the story and feel the need to finally speak up. The Provost recently sent a note stating that we are in good hands with our experienced leadership team. Astounding! The
  Dean went through multiple chairs, faked an election for one, and no chairs remain that were in place when he came. One department has had 6 chairs. He sorted through people until he could find his support. People as cruel as he or just that power hungry.

  This was communicated to the Provost’s office through many channels. Faculty tried to speak directly to her but were directed to David Howarth. The Provost would only speak directly to the dean’s people. Faculty tried to communicate through the grievance officer who became frustrated to the deaf ear of the Provost.

  There was a vote of no confidence. To that, the Provost came to the faculty and said it meant nothing; there is nothing she could do with that. A letter prepared by a large group of faculty was sent to her and the President, Jim Ramsey. The Provost again said the letter meant nothing. Shirley, the Provost, came to the faculty and said she would do something so hired a consultant– Just solutions. After they heard the problems Shirley quickly buried the report, or refused to accept one, and sent an email supporting the Dean as her guy. The tax payers paid for that consultation and deserved the report. There was recently a Board of Overseers report the I have yet seen.

  Here’s what my colleagues say or have said.

  You can’t have a Dean like this without a Provost like this.

  You can’t have Hitler without Himmler and other henchmen

  In response to another blog, a commenter gave Shirley some excuse for not knowing what was really going one. Either she was deliberately deaf or she is complicit. Either way, this is incompetence at the highest level.

  Why are we here? There are always many reasons but let me offer a new idea. Both the president and the provost were in their positions as acting president and acting provost. This university was low class enough to not conduct a proper national search for the highest offices in the place. When I entered academia, it was understood that you did not take an acting assignment if you intended to seek the job. That would ruin the search. That ethic was one of the first to go, since then, I have worked in the most unethical environment of my life. The ethics of the College have been well chronicled in these pages so I won’t repeat them.

  There will not be healing without a change of more than just the dean, particularly within the College of Education and Human Development, and perhaps within the University. As a note the new acting Dean is a personal friend of the President and did not progress through the academic process as regular faculty do. He was a school superintendent. He may be a good man, I hear that he is, but there was no consultation with the faculty.

  All that said, I see the same politics at work. The turtle goes into the shell and waits. Eventually the fervor will die down and the same players will continue on with their business. There does not seem to be any investigative reporting in this town. Kenosha has them all I guess. How come the Provost is not being held accountable for her part in the cruelty of this place? In particular how can she, a woman who has championed the role of women on campus ( I have worked with her a very long time, if I say how long, I’ll be identifiable and there are still henchmen about. ) be so blind to the sexual harassment and sexual quid pro quo that has occurred here for five years?

• 7 WC // Jul 1, 2008 at 6:59 am

  The university as a whole will suffer from this scandal and it will be the fault of only 2 people–Felner and Provost Shirley Willihnganz. She knew, she ignored, it blew.

• 8 westkyian // Jul 1, 2008 at 8:28 am

  Mark Hebert has picked up the PageOne story. A small chink in the see-no-evil mainstream press.

• 9 Scott // Jul 1, 2008 at 9:05 am

  Think about it, when has the news media held anything the University has done up to scrunity? For example, look at the football program. Has anyone in the media asked Tom Jurich about Steve Kragthorpe’s abysmal coaching performance last year? No. If they are not going to cover something as insignificant as football, what makes anything think anyone in the local media would take something like this seriously? No, they would much rather cover such life changing events as casting calls for American Idol and the Biggest Loser. Y’all are expecting too much of our media outlets here. Where do you think you are? Atlanta?

• 10 Not Confused Any Longer // Jul 1, 2008 at 9:16 am

  Jake, good work. I had issues early on with some of the sensationalism, and we clashed over it when it looked like your story was unsubstantiated – which quickly proved NOT to be the case, as you published fact after fact… but I’m absolutely sickened by the actions not only of Felner, but of those who had a part in his hiring and especially those who had a chance to make things right, or at least start the process to making things right.
  You have done the public a service by staying on this story when the MSM won’t – a failure that seems to occur without regard to ideology these days; where have you seen it reported that Obama had nearly $200m in earmarks last year, compared to McCain’s $0, for instance? – but by all means, keep at it.
  There are a lot of good people – some of whom, as was noted in the transcript, were brought in by Felner – in the College of Education who need closure on this, need to move on and rebuild their reputation when the real offenders are publicly identified.
  It concerns me, though, how much “moving on” can go on with some of the “blind eye” leadership that seems to have occurred here.

• 11 Henry Watterson // Jul 1, 2008 at 10:19 am

  First of all, I want to say that Jake is doing some good work here. He’s finding sources and he’s getting them to talk. That’s good journalism. But I take some exception to the triumphal tone. There are no named sources in any of this. If Jake is comfortable with that, more power to him. But anyone who knows this business knows that the C-J doesn’t operate that way. If you want to criticize the reporters and editors for being skittish about running rumors and allegations from unnamed sources, go ahead. But I think it’s important to point out that much of this comes down to standards and technique. Perhaps the mainstream media needs to rethink the way it covers hot-button stories like this. But it is disingenuous to suggest that the C-J is “ignoring” this story.

• 12 jake // Jul 1, 2008 at 10:38 am

  No, I haven’t named sources. But you’ve seen, usually a few days later, mainstream media outlets like the Kenosha News report… wait for it… the very same thing I’ve reported, usually with different sourcing and documents. So I’m confident what I’m reporting is accurate to a T.

  It is hardly disingenuous to suggest that the C-J is ignoring this story. It’s definitely, positively ignoring this story. I offered the story to a certain C-J reporter three days before I ever wrote about it. Offered evidence, sources, people to help with background. And I was told it wasn’t important enough to investigate.

  I was even told by some broadcast reporters that the story wasn’t big enough to investigate– even though Robert Felner was on THEIR film walking out of a building with federal investigators.

  I have giant stacks of material obtained through records requests and other legal means. The Kenosha News’ Gary Kunich has at least as many documents and pieces of material as me. So I know the C-J could at least effing try. I mean, I’m sitting on at least six other parts of this story at this very moment that I *know* the C-J could find out about after making just a couple phone calls. But I see absolutely no true, investigative journalistic effort. That’s not to fault the education reporters there, though, because I can’t blame them for whatever their higher-ups put them through.

  It’s disingenuous to suggest what you’re suggesting here, especially as an employee of the Courier-Journal (don’t worry, I’m not outing you, but it’s a little hypocritical of you). For every anonymous source I have exists dozens of emails, telephone calls, in-person meetings, open records requests, et al. And for everything I have reported there’s a story in the mainstream media a few days later backing me up. So don’t even try to act like my reporting is less than solid, less than above par, less than spot-on.

  I’m sure you can appreciate my work, as you’ve loosely mentioned, but I also see veiled complaints or attempts to discredit my credibility in your comment. I’d take you way more seriously if I hadn’t witnessed what I’ve witnessed with your paper first-hand. Because honestly, if *I* can uncover this information? Surely to bejeezus even an intern at the C-J could do the very same thing. I’m not that special.

• 13 Pillow // Jul 1, 2008 at 10:39 am

  Hey it seems to me that the U of L has been putting a blind eye to a lot of “questionable” practices by its academicians. – Remember John Shumaker, beloved in Louisville, but was outed as a scoundrel nearly as soon as he hit the campus of the University of Tenn. – He gave a $300,000 no bid contract to a “friend” – and it came out that he did some shady things at his previous stop before L’ville in Central Connecticut. – Only in the Ville did he seem to get his act together “yeah right.”

• 14 Bimbeau // Jul 1, 2008 at 11:05 am

  Where’s Jessica? & I’m not talking about the TV mystery character.
  Ms.Loving, the darling of the Fletcher Administration is head of the Board of Regents – has she lost her voice? Anyone try to talk to her?
  Or anyone else on the board? Those people are appointed by the Gov and have to be on the record, either as not knowing what’s going on inside the University which they are charged with protecting and nurturing or is it time to say, “No comment.” because they are letting the other run with it while they collect their checks.

• 15 UL Faculty Member Since 1985 // Jul 1, 2008 at 12:51 pm

  I think Jake is doing a terrific job with this story. The real issue to me is the failure of Fellner’s supervisor (Willihnganz) to deal with the problem. There is in the administration to my mind a general and undeserved self-satisfaction with “how things are”. This is a deeply conservative administration in the sense that it shuns all real change. I’m concerned that the same don’t rock the boat mentality is why the CJ has been AWOL.
  P.S. Bimbeau, I think Chester Porter is Chair of the BOT. There is no Board of Regents to my knowledge.

• 16 Tirnstile // Jul 1, 2008 at 12:56 pm

  As stated above, Felner was employed at Illinois from 1986 to 1990. It so happens that Provost Willihnganz received her Ph.D. from Illinois in 1988. Completely different departments (at a very large school) but an interesting coincidence….

• 17 Henry Watterson // Jul 1, 2008 at 1:01 pm

  Jake:

  I didn’t say your reporting wasn’t accurate. In fact, I complimented it. I am not involved in covering this story, so I have no dog in this fight. I am just trying to defend my colleagues who I feel are getting a bad rap. Meanwhile, keep up the good work.

• 18 jake // Jul 1, 2008 at 1:08 pm

  C-J Person: Thanks for the compliment, then.

  We’re not trying to give anyone a bad rap. Just trying to get people to do a little investigation. I know it’s possible because I’m able to do it. I know it’s possible because other members of the mainstream media do it.

  Just disappointing that no one else is digging around trying to report this. Now that Mark Hebert is back from vacation, I have a feeling he’ll begin working the story. But there’s almost no excuse for others in the media who have ignored this. A little hard work and persistence never hurt anybody.

• 19 ed // Jul 1, 2008 at 1:20 pm

  Jake,

  My hat is off to you and the job you’ve done since this story broke. I knew Felner when he was at URI, and EVERY WORD you (and others) have said about him is not only true, but EXACTLY what everyone said when he was at URI. This tiny state has been following your blog closely, and just nodding our heads with every entry. He was simply despicable while at URI, and arrogant leopards don’t change their spots. The abuse of people, allegations of sexual improprieties…and the list goes on. Everything the U of L faculty noted in their no confidence vote. It will be interesting to see what URI comes up with when they review their books. Keep up the GREAT work!!!

  And….GO FEDS!!!!

  By the way….last Friday, you mentioned a video “that will make you wonder what Felner and his lawyer are trying to hide.” I can’t find that. Did you post it????

• 20 Bimbeau // Jul 1, 2008 at 1:20 pm

  Thanks for the tip. Even so without regard for the names and genders associated with the jobs, I wonder at the lack of initiative on the part of the faculty here?
  Is there a Faculty Senate? Are tenured faculty members being muzzled so they can’t discuss this?
  I’m impressed by the author’s ingenuity and persipacity. Oh hell, I’m a coal miner & kant spel

• 21 jake // Jul 1, 2008 at 1:25 pm

  Many thanks.

  Yeah, turns out it was just a television station manager with no balls or integrity who got nervous and wouldn’t let us discuss the issue. But I posted the video later that day.

• 22 ed // Jul 1, 2008 at 1:30 pm

  Yes, I did see that one. Too bad, I was hoping for Felner and his lawyer trying to evade questions as he dragged yet another in a long list of blondes behind him.

  Thanks again for all your efforts.

• 23 junction jack // Jul 1, 2008 at 1:36 pm

  Mark Hebert picked up on it because A) Mark is the best journalist in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, fill-in-the-blank state and B) he understands the new world of journalism as well as anyone. That and he loves good competition.

  Follow the lead of the master, Louisville media, or you’ll be left further behind than you already are.

• 24 Bill // Jul 1, 2008 at 3:15 pm

  Factsman is right on target.

• 25 Tirnstile // Jul 1, 2008 at 5:52 pm

  The CEHD still has the little man featured on their Dean’s page. If yesterday was his last official day (at least in terms of his paycheck) then job #1 for their IT staff should have been to take down that page first thing this morning.

• 26 WC // Jul 1, 2008 at 6:53 pm

  I said I missed Mark Pitch. But now I am a Jacob fan.

• 27 WC // Jul 1, 2008 at 6:57 pm

  Something else is bothering me about all this. Did the Wisconsin-Parkside people said that Felner was given a good recommendation by UofL Provost? Did she lie to them?

• 28 John Doe // Jul 1, 2008 at 10:49 pm

  Jake’s a little thin-skinned (see his response to my comments on his July 1 Felner post) so I’m guessing he won’t appreciate this attempt to show him how an editor at a real newspaper would have handled this post if he had submitted it as a news story.

  I don’t know Felner and I don’t know if any or all of the allegations are true, but I do know that the “mainstream media” Jake so loves to bash does attempt a little quality control now and then. Below are excerpts from Jake’s post and the kind of questions an editor would have asked:

  > Sometime during the late fall of 1989 that program’s faculty (who selects the DCT) asked Felner to step down

  * Why don’t you have a date for when he was asked to step down? Is there no documentation showing when he stepped down? Have you made a record request for that information? If the people you spoke to can’t remember the date, how can you be certain their other recollections are accurate?
  * Which colleagues asked him to step down? How was he asked to step down? Formally? Informally? At a faculty meeting? In a bar?

  > what multiple, unconnected individuals have confirmed

  * How did the confirm it? With documents? Verbally? Which sources confirmed which allegations? When you say they are “unconnected,” what does that mean if they all work for the same university and all presumably worked with Felner?

  > we’re not leveling personal accusations

  * You repeat anonymous allegations that a man committed sexual harassment, treated staff members inappropriately and intimidated students and staff members, and you say they’re not personal? Are you kidding me?

  > attempts to interfere with the achievements of colleagues

  * What does that mean exactly? Can you be more specific? How did he interfere with the “achievements of colleagues”? What achievements? Whose achievements?

  > an attempt to keep someone from reaching tenure

  * Which someone? Why can’t you name that someone? Is it necessarily improper “to keep someone from reaching tenure”? Aren’t there legitimate reasons for wanting to do that?

  > allegations of sexual harassment

  * Do you have any specifics of the sexual harassment allegations? Did he make a sexual comment? Grope someone? If you don’t have specifics, why not? Was Felner ever officially charged with sexual harassment? If not, why not? If so, do you have the documentation?

  > There are multiple, specific incidences of each reported problem with the exception of the tenure situation

  * Is the person making the tenure allegation the same person who was denied tenure?

  > we’re not saying Felner absolutely is responsible for anything, just that these allegations were officially made while he was at UIUC

  * This disclaimer doesn’t absolve you of libel. The standard is “reckless disregard for the truth.”
  * If they were “officially made,” why don’t you cite any official sources? Are there no public records you can share that confirm this?

  > there was an investigation undertaken by UIUC legal counsel (separate from, though possibly connected to, the faculty issues.)

  * Who was the legal counsel? Why can’t you name them?
  * Why only “possibly connected” to the faculty issues? So you don’t know? If you don’t know that, how can you be sure of the rest of this?

  > One individual we spoke with says that in 1986 when UIUC was in the process of hiring Felner, concerns that exist today about Felner were made apparent.

  * What “concerns”? In what way were they “made apparent”? Can you be more specific? If not, why not?

  > Everyone we spoke with at UIUC reiterate to us that the decision to ask Feline to step down was one of the most difficult decisions they have made in their respective professional careers. Every individual with first-hand knowledge of the situation also made it clear that the decision was reached after extensive and exhaustive discussions and research. Everyone still stands by their decision today.

  * How many is “Everyone”? Why can’t you name them? Why won’t they go on the record? Are they faculty? Administrators? Students?
  * What was the “extensive and exhaustive discussions and research.” Was there an official investigation? An unofficial one? Have you requested Feller’s personnel file from that time? If not, why not? What does it say?

  > All that said, how can there be continual allegations of wrongdoing for more than two decades without anything changing?

  * Possible explanations: The allegations are untrue or exaggerated.

  > How could someone so controversial get hired– repeatedly– if there are professional issues major enough to cause him to be effectively fired or demoted?

  * What does it mean to be “effectively fired or demoted”? You are either fired or demoted or you aren’t.

  > How could and why would so many academic professionals overlook so much for so long? Why is it when someone is a bad employee in academia that those who hire them allow their eagerness to get rid of them to override their integrity when it comes to passing along information about character negatives?

  * Perhaps he has good qualities you’ve overlooked in your rush to condemn him?

  Nowhere is there any evidence that you’ve sought Felner’s side of the story. Why not?

• 29 jake // Jul 1, 2008 at 10:54 pm

  Thin-skinned? I’m pretty sure you haven’t been reading for the past year if you think THAT response was thin-skinned. And if you can’t answer half of your questions for yourself with what is common knowledge at this point.

  Keep fishing, hoss. Maybe eventually something will bite.

• 30 Money talks // Jul 1, 2008 at 11:10 pm

  How can he keep getting hired? He would be a good case study in that side of academia, but I suspect the simplest answer is what it always is: money. Have you seen his vita? It lists over $40 million in grant funding over his career. Money talks. If the current investigation turns up anything, then it would seem to talk back too!

• 31 Dr. A. // Jul 2, 2008 at 7:46 am

  I was a graduate student at the University of Illinois when Felner was Director of Clinical Training there. It was a nightmare! He turned faculty against each other and kicked students out of the program seemingly at random. I remember one student meeting when we (as clinical psych students) sat around trying to diagnose him. He bred an atmosphere of paranoia and mistrust and left many victims in his wake.

  Interestingly, this story has been the impetus for a virtual reunion of former Illinois students. Twenty years later, all of us are rejoicing that Felner is finally getting his comeuppance. Imagaine, all these mature, professional individuals rejoicing at the downfall of someone who haunted and plagued them 20 years earlier. That is a testament to Felner’s massive abuse of power and psychopathology.

  I sincerely hope that justice is served.

• 32 Tirnstile // Jul 2, 2008 at 9:39 am

  Dr. A – you should rent the movie, Sleepers. A much more extreme case of comeuppance, but talk about a case of justice being served!

• 33 Elaine // Jul 2, 2008 at 12:36 pm

  Jake. Thanks again for all your hard work. I agree that one of the central questions involves Felner’s ability to remain at institutions for so long, promote to positions of increasing authority and do so much damage before being ousted from one school and passed on to another with FAVORABLE references.

  I believe that the fundamental cause is cowardice. I know, from personal experience, that, at UIUC, no action was taken against him until those in a position to stop him saw more personal risk in his staying than in his leaving. The ETHICS of having such a destructive force at the university was of little concern as was his devastating impact on students and relatively dispensible faculty members.

  “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
  Edmund Burke (1729 – 1797)

• 34 Tirnstile // Jul 2, 2008 at 2:25 pm

  The little guy is now off of the CEHD Dean’s page. :)

• 35 UIUCgrad // Jul 2, 2008 at 5:43 pm

  I was also a grad student at UIUC during those awful years. It took the faculty a long time to really catch on despite many complaints by students and some faculty. I think they just couldn’t believe that he would outright lie to them. He failed out my best friend, claiming that she wasn’t making progress when actually he was failing to ever read her documents or meet with her.

  He also managed to fail out someone who is now a vice provost of a top University.
  One year, when students were awaiting news of matches for internships, the faculty realized almost too late that he was in Europe and had failed to send out the crucial letters necessary saying that the 9 students were ok’d to go out on internship. Some last minute scrambling was necessary by all so that those students would not be automatically rejected by their internship sites.
  But it was not until he failed to supervise a group of undergraduates whose parents got involved and went to the top UIUC administrators with complaints that the empire began to crumble.

  Sadest to me personally, besides the loss of brilliant students failed out seemingly randomly, as Dr. A. says, was the deterioration of a community feeling that had facilitated lots of exciting work before he came.

  The lack of trust after he came was palpable among students and faculty.

  He actually told us he had cancer, when he actually did not.
  why do that?

  The day that we got the notices in our boxes that he had been removed (was “stepping down”) from the Clinical Division, we coincidentally had a party later that afternoon. At the party, a large number of us realized that we had each hummed “ding dong the witch is dead” as we read that notice earlier in the day.

  Does this man deserve compassion?
  Yes, but only after he is stopped from ever having contact again with any students. UIUC tried to do that. Obviously his ability to move on and re-invent himself is skillful.

• 36 PWK // Jul 2, 2008 at 6:30 pm

  This man has done more damage than any other human I’ve met. He has a Napoleonic complex (or short man’s syndrome) – he’s a pathological liar, maybe bi-polar – and I’m wondering, as a former employee of his, and a victim of his cruelty ,whether we should hate him or feel sorry for him. No matter how all of you feel, I hope they can convict him and send him to jail. With no job to go to, and 5 ex-wives – how is going to exist otherwise?

• 37 ed // Jul 3, 2008 at 12:02 pm

  You said it well, PWK….send him off to jail. When he was in RI, he had no “professional strangle hold” at all on me. Fed up with him, I told him the only reason they named that complex after Napoleon, is because he hadn’t yet crawled out from under his rock.

  Yup…little bobby felner….in jail…with his cell mate Bubba.

  Nice thought.

• 38 jake // Jul 3, 2008 at 12:04 pm

  Innocent until proven guilty.

  Remember it.

  Hope all you want, but remember it.

• 39 Auburn grad // Jul 4, 2008 at 7:59 pm

  bobbiBefore Dr. Felner went to UIUC, he was clinical director at Auburn University where I was a graduate student in the clincal psychology program. All I have read from other clincal students at UIUC sounds identical to my experiences with Dr. Felner at Auburn. His ability to intimidate many of the students, create an environment of paranoia, and his relationship with a blond female student were known to all.
  Despite his pattern of inappropriate behavior, he has many positive qualities including a charming manner and the intellect and ability to succeed in research. These are most likely the qualities that have allowed him to be so successful for so long.
  Since becoming an academic myself in the late 80s I have observed that academicians are highly unlikely to ever write a negative evaluation of a colleague unless that colleague endangers the status quo. Saying anything negative about someone such as Dr. Felner would leave you open to attack, either directly or indirectly through his friends (articles rejected, grant proposals denied, job applications denied, etc.). Perhaps this is the greatest negative consequence of being a student in a program where Dr. Felner was the clinical director. That is, you have learned that by speaking up you may become a target.
  Personally, I was never negatively effected by Dr. Felner. However, his legacy on other students and faculty has been quite negative. A cartoon placed on his office door at Auburn sums up Felner for me. The cartoon depcited the King of Id saying something along the lines of “I cant be King if you won’t let me.”

• 40 Another Auburn grad // Jul 5, 2008 at 12:01 pm

  Everything that I have read in the previous 39 entries mirrors the experiences and events that I experienced as a grad student in the Auburn program while Felner was the Clinical Director there in the mid-80s. Faculty resigned because they would not be intimidated by him; our department chair turned a deaf ear to repeated complaints and pleas. Paranoia and outright fear were rampant, he gossiped about students to other students behind their back, and sexual “issues” and inappropriate relationships were blatant. I became someone I didn’t recognize (fear-based anger) and could not leave that program soon enough. Rumor had it that he was finally asked to leave when he tried to intimidate the wrong “higher up” at AU. And it is clear that the same thing has gone on and on and on and on. What the heck is wrong with academe? What the HECK IS WRONG?

• 41 jake // Jul 5, 2008 at 12:15 pm

  Auburn grad: You may read all of the Felner stories by Clicking Here or clicking the Robert Felner tag on the left-hand side of the site.

• 42 Bill // Jul 8, 2008 at 11:48 am

  jake, In all the mess involving Felner, I believe there was mentioned an embezzlement case at UL (Health Sciences) last year.

  Has anything ever been reported about that case?

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