Saturday, February 19, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

REMARKS ABOUT GAYS: Professor rejects gestures

Hoppe's attorney says Harter's effort to resolve rift not enough

UNLV President Carol Harter tried to end the standoff between professor Hans-Hermann Hoppe and administrators Friday by removing a critical letter from his personnel file.

"Professor Hoppe does not assert that materials he presents are the opinions of UNLV, nor has he ever purported to speak for UNLV. Whether anyone in the university agrees or disagrees with Professor Hoppe's theories or his opinions is not ultimately relevant," Harter wrote in a statement sent to students and media. "Teaching is of its nature and origin provocative."

But Hoppe and his attorneys weren't satisfied with the proposed resolution. They said they also want an apology and a year-long sabbatical for the professor.

Attorney Al Marquis said the sabbatical is appropriate compensation for the year of persecution Hoppe suffered at the hands of UNLV administrators. "He just wants the time to pursue his research," Marquis said.

Michael Knight, the student who complained about remarks Hoppe made regarding homosexuals, said the professor's demands were too much.

"The university is gracious enough to remove that letter from his personnel file, and he should consider this his vindication and move on and get a life," Knight said.

Hoppe, a tenured economist with almost 20 years at UNLV, has been defending himself for almost a year after administrators accused him of creating a hostile learning environment.

In a March 2004 economics class, Hoppe was discussing groups that generally plan for the future and those that do not.

Very young and very old people tend not to plan for the future, he said. And couples with children tend to plan more than couples without.

Another example Hoppe gave was homosexuals, who, he said, tend to plan less for the future than heterosexuals. In part, that is because homosexuals usually have no children, he said.

A university grievance committee found Hoppe's statement about homosexuals not factually supported.

Earlier this month, Executive Vice Provost Ray Alden placed a non-disciplinary letter in Hoppe's file condemning Hoppe's statement regarding homosexuals. Alden said he violated standards of accuracy, scholarship and instructional responsibility.

Hoppe, along with the American Civil Liberties Union, fought to have the letter removed and sought an apology from the university. They threatened to file a federal lawsuit.

Harter's letter Friday said university officials will remove the letter and all references to the incident from his personnel file. She described academic freedom as a necessary foundation at the institution but stopped short of apologizing to Hoppe.

Hilarie Grey, a UNLV spokeswoman, said Harter was unavailable for comment Friday afternoon. She said the university's policy allows Harter to appeal Alden's decision.

In her letter, Harter said freedom must be foremost when there is ambiguity between academic responsibility and academic freedom. She said the university considers the matter closed.

"Clearly that is not the case until there is agreement from Dr. Hoppe and the particular concerns we've addressed," ACLU attorney Allen Lichtenstein said.

He and Gary Peck, executive director of the ACLU Nevada chapter, said Harter's letter does not clearly exonerate Hoppe, who declined to comment Friday night.

"It is filled with all sorts of equivocations that seem to suggest that Professor Hoppe's statements in class were in some sort of gray area," Peck said.

Knight, the student who filed the complaint, read Harter's statement Friday night.

"Wow," he said. "I'm just in shock."

He said he was disappointed but accepted the university's decision, saying his complaint had been heard.

"It went through the proper motions, and it's a sad day for the gay community in a sense because Dr. Hoppe won," Knight said. "OK, he didn't really win. He threatened to file a lawsuit against the university."

Marquis praised interim Chancellor Jim Rogers, who met with Harter on Thursday, for negotiating the removal of the letter and supporting freedom of speech. He said he plans to meet with Rogers, system Chief Counsel Dan Klaich and hopefully Harter on Tuesday to discuss the matter further.

"We're trying to resolve the matter without the need of going to court," Marquis said.

Rogers said Friday afternoon he considered the issue finished.

"I am very much in favor of people being able to speak their minds," Rogers said. "That's what the First Amendment is all about. If you're offended by things then you should respond to them. You don't say to people, `You can't say things.' "