EUGENE, Ore.
The University of Oregon is taking issue with an economics professor’s claim that a program developed to recruit more minority faculty members is illegal.
Provost Linda Brady and general counsel Melinda Grier said the program, which helps new minority faculty set up an office or lab, is legal and needed to help attract minority faculty in a competitive market.
Economics professor Bill Harbaugh has challenged the program, known as the Underrepresented Minority Recruitment Program, in e-mails to UO President Dave Frohnmayer. He calls it an “obvious violation” of the Constitution and Civil Rights Act.
Harbaugh declined to comment further.
The program provides up to $30,000 a year for three years to reimburse departments and colleges for the cost of “startup packages” used to attract new minority faculty members.
They also can support other incentives depending on the professor’s field.
