Support for Dr. Merouane Lakehal-Ayat
Donation protected
Please join friends, family, former students, and colleagues of Dr. Merouane Lakehal-Ayat in supporting his fight against injustice and discrimination.
"Dr. Merouane," as he is referred to by his students, is a distinguished finance professor and scholar with an international reputation. He has received numerous awards for teaching excellence and is a tenured professor at St. John Fisher College, where he has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels for over 30 years.
In November 2017, St. John Fisher suspended Dr. Merouane indefinitely and banished him from campus based on an allegation of overreliance on classroom managers and educational / teaching assistants, despite the absence of a relevant policy or standard. There were no efforts made by the College to resolve any potential differences by means less severe than immediate suspension and apparent intent to terminate.
This occurred just weeks after Fisher published an article highlighting Dr. Merouane’s academic achievements, notably engagement in his fifth Fulbright experience, and since then the College has been adamant about revoking his tenure and permanently removing Dr. Merouane from the Fisher faculty. It also appears Fisher has bypassed active policies, violated Faculty Statutes, and ignored governing principles of the American Association of University Professors in its pursuit to terminate Dr. Merouane.
Ultimately Fisher’s Board of Trustees will determine Dr. Merouane’s fate, and the College appears relentless in pushing the Board to vote in favor of terminating Dr. Merouane, thus opposing the Faculty Hearing Committee that ruled unanimously for his reinstatement. Such action from the Board would only add to the injustice and indignity that Dr. Merouane has experienced as a result of such a trivial allegation regarding practices consistent with those used by thousands of professors in colleges and universities across the country.
In an effort to retain his faculty position, return to teaching, and restore his reputation damaged by the College’s actions, Dr. Merouane is suing St. John Fisher College for religious discrimination (he is Muslim), age discrimination (he is 70), denial of due process, and general breach of contract.
Dr. Merouane is incurring significant out-of-pocket legal expenses as he challenges a well-funded institution with ample resources and the apparent intent to prolong legal proceedings to a point where Dr. Merouane may become financially distressed and forced to concede.
As such, a large group of former students, current faculty colleagues, and friends have created this campaign as a way to build financial support for Dr. Merouane and say thank you to our professor, friend, and colleague who has spent a lifetime giving to us and so many others.
Your contribution to this fund will send a message of support to Dr. Merouane during his legal battle and will embody the best intent of Fisher’s motto, "Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge."
All funds raised will be used to cover past, present, and future legal costs associated with the lawsuit now in U.S. Federal District Court. Any amount helps, and you can give anonymously by selecting 'Hide Name' just prior to confirming donation.
We would also encourage you to read the publicly filed Federal complaint and related Exhibits, with specific reference to pages 23-24 of the Federal complaint as well as Exhibit E. These documents can be accessed by clicking this link (select PDF file then ‘Slow Download (Free)’ if presented with download options).
Thank you very much for your support and contribution.
"Dr. Merouane," as he is referred to by his students, is a distinguished finance professor and scholar with an international reputation. He has received numerous awards for teaching excellence and is a tenured professor at St. John Fisher College, where he has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels for over 30 years.
In November 2017, St. John Fisher suspended Dr. Merouane indefinitely and banished him from campus based on an allegation of overreliance on classroom managers and educational / teaching assistants, despite the absence of a relevant policy or standard. There were no efforts made by the College to resolve any potential differences by means less severe than immediate suspension and apparent intent to terminate.
This occurred just weeks after Fisher published an article highlighting Dr. Merouane’s academic achievements, notably engagement in his fifth Fulbright experience, and since then the College has been adamant about revoking his tenure and permanently removing Dr. Merouane from the Fisher faculty. It also appears Fisher has bypassed active policies, violated Faculty Statutes, and ignored governing principles of the American Association of University Professors in its pursuit to terminate Dr. Merouane.
Ultimately Fisher’s Board of Trustees will determine Dr. Merouane’s fate, and the College appears relentless in pushing the Board to vote in favor of terminating Dr. Merouane, thus opposing the Faculty Hearing Committee that ruled unanimously for his reinstatement. Such action from the Board would only add to the injustice and indignity that Dr. Merouane has experienced as a result of such a trivial allegation regarding practices consistent with those used by thousands of professors in colleges and universities across the country.
In an effort to retain his faculty position, return to teaching, and restore his reputation damaged by the College’s actions, Dr. Merouane is suing St. John Fisher College for religious discrimination (he is Muslim), age discrimination (he is 70), denial of due process, and general breach of contract.
Dr. Merouane is incurring significant out-of-pocket legal expenses as he challenges a well-funded institution with ample resources and the apparent intent to prolong legal proceedings to a point where Dr. Merouane may become financially distressed and forced to concede.
As such, a large group of former students, current faculty colleagues, and friends have created this campaign as a way to build financial support for Dr. Merouane and say thank you to our professor, friend, and colleague who has spent a lifetime giving to us and so many others.
Your contribution to this fund will send a message of support to Dr. Merouane during his legal battle and will embody the best intent of Fisher’s motto, "Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge."
All funds raised will be used to cover past, present, and future legal costs associated with the lawsuit now in U.S. Federal District Court. Any amount helps, and you can give anonymously by selecting 'Hide Name' just prior to confirming donation.
We would also encourage you to read the publicly filed Federal complaint and related Exhibits, with specific reference to pages 23-24 of the Federal complaint as well as Exhibit E. These documents can be accessed by clicking this link (select PDF file then ‘Slow Download (Free)’ if presented with download options).
Thank you very much for your support and contribution.
Organizer and beneficiary
Phil Brogan
Organizer
Rochester, NY
Merouane Lakehal-Ayat
Beneficiary