20170131 DOL Reese Interview
Employee Name: Benjamin Reese
Date: 1/31/2017
Race: African American
Gender: Male
Veteran Status: Not Veteran
Current Job Title: VP Institutional Equity for Duke University and Duke University Health System
Starting Date in this Position: 20 years with Duke Since July 1996
Previous Position(s) with Duke University: No.
Starting Date(s) in Previous Position(s): NA
Starting Date with Duke University: July 1996
Education: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Is the current position you stated the same job and title that you had during January 1, 2015 – August 31, 2016?
Yes
If not, what was your job title?
NA
What are your current job duties as it relates to hiring TA employees? What were they during January 1, 2015 to August 2016?
I have no direct responsibility for teaching positions.
Provide a brief description of the various tasks and responsibilities that you currently perform including how many employees are currently supervised by you. (If available, provide a written job description).
I oversee diversity inclusion and strategies to include workshop presentations, AA equal opportunity policy oversight, harassment prevention which includes complaint handling and proactive work oversight and, title 9 oversight.
Who supervises you? President of the University.
What are the written policies or guidelines that bear on your role in hiring decisions? (Obtain a copy)
I don't have any involvement in hiring. We have no influence on hire besides data collection. The AAP for Duke comes out of my office.
II. HIRING:
Do you know the complainant (Logan Martin Isaac)? When did you know him?
I met him a couple of times when he came to my office to see someone in my staff, so he has to come in and see the VP. The other time I saw him when he was one of the members of a large group when I was giving a presentation. He had a concern and came to see someone in my office, Cynthia Clinton. I don't remember the date.
How long have you known him?
I don't know him very well. I've seen him twice. It was in 2016 when he came to my presentation. Implicit and Unconscious bias was the title of my presentation.
Follow up question: Mr. Logan claims he was involved with the development of the bias and harassment paper submitted to the President of the University. Are you aware of this?
Ben: I don't know. The training that I do is done by me, and I am the only one that does it, here and over the country/other corporations and abroad.
What is your employment relationship with the complainant?
None whatsoever
On February 29, 2016, the Complainant, Logan Martin Isaac, brought his concerns about how veterans are treated at Duke University to the interim Dean, Ellen Davis. What do you know about this event?
I know he went to see a couple of people at the Divinity School but I am not sure who he saw at the Divinity School.
Was it about the issue of not being selected?
I know he had a complaint but I have a VP that handles all that. I know he came but I don't know the details of that. Cynthia Clinton is the individual that he spoke with.
What role did you play in rejecting or non-selection of the complainant for 2016 Summer Semester assignment at the first round of job offer?
None.
Why was the complainant not selected at the first round of TA assignment? NA
How was he notified? NA
Who else was involved? NA
Was he provided any notice? If so, please provide a copy. NA
Was the complainant asked to sign any documents when he was not selected? Did he sign them? Please provide a copy. NA
Have you rejected other employees within the last two years? If yes, please identify the employee by name and identify the veteran status, if known, date of rejection, contact information (to include address and telephone number) and please identify the offense committed and penalty issued to the employee.
In my department, I had about four positions to fill, and people applied and I selected one individual for each position. I don't know if you consider the other applicants rejected ones. I don't remember if any were veterans.
Have you identified any TA employee that has been rejected for not having teaching experience? Please explain under what circumstances they were rejected.
I have nothing to do with TA's. TAs work with our five professional schools and are hired through the schools after they applied but that is not my responsibility.
Did you consult with any other management officials when deciding not to select the complainant during the first round of selection?
NA
If yes, with whom did you consult, when and how did this consultation occur, and what was the substance of the consultation? NA
Please provide any documentation. NA
What advice did other management officials provide to you regarding the non-selection of the complainant? Did you follow it? Why or why not?
NA
Is Duke's rejection process spelled out anywhere? Is it given to employees? Was it followed here?
NA
Please provide any documentation. NA
The Complainant alleges that he was retaliated against because of his veteran status and filed an informal complaint. Then, he was reinstated as a TA. He also stated that he is suffering from mental anguish resulting from his employment with Duke University. Are you aware of these allegations? Did you make any recommendation or plan to resolve these allegations? Please explain.
I heard about his concerns as a veteran but I know nothing about his mental health.
Did the complainant's veteran status play a role in the decision of not selecting during the first round of TA selection after Spring Semester of 2016? Please explain.
I am not in charge or involved for hiring in the Divinity School or any other professional school.
The Complainant also alleges retaliation for asking questions concerning veterans because he was subsequently not invited back as a TA after Spring Semester of 2016. What is your response to this allegation?
NA
Did the complainant's questioning about veteran status concern play a role in the decision of not being invited him back as a TA after Spring Semester of 2016? Please explain.
NA
On June 8, 2016, the complainant claims sending you an email about his internal complaint regarding his being denied contract and also being retaliated against. Please explain what happened.
I referred this email to Cynthia Clinton because her responsibility is to handle these complaints. Did Cynthia report to you?
She reported to me and then she wrote a report at the end of the process.
What happens to the report? Any recommendations?
Cynthia Clinton doesn't give them directly to me; they are put in a file in the office. I have access to them, but when she completes and writes a report it is entered in our files, but she doesn't give me the report. All of my VP's work independently, they don't provide me with any reports, that's why they are at the VP level.
On August 23, 2016, the complainant alleges that you disclosed the private conversation you had with him in the presence of his peers regarding his filed complaint against the University. Please explain what happened.
At the workshop, I gave a two hour presentation, when I came to the end; I asked if anyone has any questions. A couple of people asked questions about the presentation. Logan asked me what you are doing about Veterans. People looked like what does that have to do with the presentation? I said to him, my door is always open, and I don't understand why you are bringing that up here. It ended there. The presentation includes veteran status, gender, race, religion and any other topic that may related to bias. I don't know why he asked this question.
Who makes the final decision on TA selection or rejection?
No I don't.
Can employees appeal?
NA
III. EEO/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION:
How would you describe the workplace culture with respect to diversity and inclusion for veterans at Duke University?
We pay attention to every student and every employee including their ethnicity, veteran status, etc. It is part of our mission, it is the way how we think about an inclusive environment, race, sexual orientation, veteran status, and so having people of all kinds of background it is important to the institution's success. This is what I say around the world and it is what I practice.
Do you know if Duke University has an EEO Policy?
Yes.
Are supervisors held accountable for adhering to this policy? Explain how?
Yes. It depends on their levels; accountability starts from the president, and goes to lower level managers. It depends on who they report to.
Describe how Duke University shares this policy with its employees, applicants and managers.
All of our policies are open to the public on various websites depending on what the website focuses on, if you look at the diversity website the policies will be related to that. AA policies are open to everybody as well as the plan. We have open dialogue and it is part of our culture.
How does the University policy ensure that employees are not harassed because of their veteran status? How and when is the policy communicated to employees and managers?
I can't ensure that every employee would have an experience that they find themselves, we try to provide training and education and we have employees that will listen to their complaints. I can't assure that all 37,000 employees who work here will not have a bad experience. For undergrad we have a robust program that includes a lot of info about diversity. Employees get it during their orientation for every new employee.
Describe how Duke University shares this policy with unions, subcontractors, the public, and community groups.
Anyone who is employed here goes thru the orientation. The University has a department that does all kinds of training on different issues such as multi-cultural issues, inclusion, and so forth. They do presentations and every professional school does something different. Nobody is exempt from the government guidelines, nobody is exempt from that.
When and what type of training did you receive regarding the University's EEO and/or harassment policy and any other of its Affirmative Action Program and EEO obligations?
Everything included in #27 above
Did the materials or training cover veteran status discrimination?
Yes
Who provided the materials?
We use different sources
Who attended? Did you verify attendance?
Everyone
Was the training required?
Yes
Has Duke University ever used an equal employment opportunity or non-discrimination statement in any of its materials (e.g. employment manual)? If so, do the materials cover veteran status discrimination?
We do training for every manager, and every manager knows the policy, so it depends what type of training you are talking about. But for the orientation all employees need to know our policies.
Does Duke University have an internal complaint process for discrimination, harassment and retaliation issues raised by employees? If so, does that process cover veteran status discrimination issues?
Yes we do and it covers veteran status.
IV. DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE:
When did you become aware of the complainant's veteran status? Please provide date.
I don't know the date, but the first time he came here with a concern. I don't have the transcript of his conversation with Cynthia Clinton, but to my understanding his concern had to do with his veteran status at the divinity school.
Did you ask complainant about his veteran status? When? How? Where? How did you react? Explain. (see above)
Do you know of other employees at Duke University who are veterans? If yes, have they ever mentioned discrimination or negative treatment? Please be specific.
Not personally. I tend not to ask about people's religion, veteran's status and socio-economic status.
How do you know about their veteran status?
NA
How do you know about their treatment? (e.g., personal observations, email, gossip, etc.)
NA
Do you know of any veteran managers or supervisor at Duke University? If yes, have they ever mentioned discrimination or negative treatment? Please be specific.
NA
How do you know about their veteran status?
NA
How do you know about their treatment? (e.g., personal observations, email, gossip, etc.)
NA
Is there anything else you would like to add at this time?
I appreciate having the opportunity of providing the above information.
The information I have provided above is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and recollection.
Interviewee: [Signature redacted (6), (7)(C)]
Date: 1/31/2017
Compliance Officer: [Signature redacted]
Date:
