Former professor detained

Former economics professor held by U.S. Immigration and Customs

April Reiter - mast@plu.edu

mast editor in chief

Former professor of economics, Peter Ng’ang’a, who sent a 17-page e-mail attachment to various staff and faculty beginning March 1, was detained recently by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Vice President of Student Life Laura Majovski said in an interview April 16.

“We don’t know what the next steps are going to be in that process, but we’ll continue to work with law enforcement as the case proceeds,” Majovski said.

The PLU administration terminated Ng’ang’a’s employment in December after he had violated the terms of his suspension from employment by sending the e-mail attachment to PLU faculty and students.

The PLU administration did fulfill the commitment they made in March to investigate the allegations made by Ng’ang’a in the e-mail attachment.

In March, President Loren Anderson asked three former and current members of the University Dispute Resolution Committee, all faculty members, to conduct an examination of the allegations made in the 17-page e-mail.

The committee was charged to “examine any evidence that supported or contradicted the allegations made, and to provide those named in the document an opportunity to speak on their own behalf,” Anderson said in an e-mail April 1 to economics majors and minors and to those who had received Ng’ang’a’s e-mail attachment.

The committee conducted its review in accordance with established procedures of the University Dispute Resolution Committee, including interviewing everyone named in Ng’ang’a’s e-mail attachment, and reported to Anderson March 27 that every allegation was completely unfounded, Anderson said in the e-mail.

“The review found no support or corroboration to validate or confirm the allegations of misconduct claimed by professor Ng’ang’a. Faculty and staff interviewed were unequivocal in their denial of his charges and characterized them as either gross misinterpretations of intent or simply as not having occurred,” Anderson said in the e-mail.

The committee’s report itself is considered confidential, Majovski said.

Anderson also restated the administration’s commitment to campus safety.

“Please be assured that we continue to take all appropriate steps to respect the rights and protect the reputation and safety of all concerned,” Anderson said in the e-mail.

Jump Backwards: Rumors circulate regarding former professor / March 14, 2008