Letters support demotion of UNLV’s library dean

Debra D. Bass

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Two weeks ago, Matthew Simon was UNLV's dean of library sciences, responsible for the more than $6.5 million operation and assisting in the design of a new, $45 million high-tech library.

Today, his sole responsibility as a manuscript librarian is cataloging four dusty boxes of material, including newspaper clippings and greeting cards, from the university's archives.

He now reports to a supervisor who used to report to him.

Provost Douglas Ferraro asked Simon to resign after having a public argument with him in the student union, but Simon refused. Because he has tenure, he was reassigned to a faculty position, which resulted in a $30,000 annual pay cut.

Ferraro says there were long-term concerns about Simon's leadership.

After Simon went public with what he considers a vindictive demotion not based on merit but a clash of egos, the university public information office disseminated several letters from staff criticizing Simon.

A letter dated June 13 reads: "The faculty believe that a lack of clearly articulated direction, effective discussion, or planning, has created an environment in which individual decisions, proposals and actions appear without context or coherence and seem not to point or lead in any particular direction."

The letter addressed to Simon was "respectfully submitted by the library faculty."

A letter by Marta Sorkin, president of the classified staff association of the library, states: "Our major concern is the hostile and intimidating environment in which we presently work and the disastrous effect it has had on staff moral." It is dated Oct. 4 and is addressed to Ferraro.

An Oct. 10 letter signed by Myoung-ja Lee Kwon, associate dean of libraries, states that the seven-member library cabinet fully supports Simon's demotion. Kwon is serving as interim dean while a national search is conducted.

"What seems to be happening here is a little rewriting of history," Simon said of the letters of complaint.

He admits there have been a number of swift changes at the library, but insists that the student, faculty and public satisfaction with the university's library facility has never been higher.

"I guess they think that that just happened by accident or magic or something," Simon said.

The real issue in Simon's mind is the unprofessional attack he says occurred between him and Ferraro that preceded his demotion. According to him, Ferraro berated him with foul language in front of students. Ferraro claims it was a heated discussion, but no vulgarities were exchanged.

Ferraro asked him three times to resign, saying it would make it easier for him to find a suitable position elsewhere, but Simon says he thrice refused, because he wasn't ready to leave UNLV.

Now, he stands to lose nearly $600 a week in pay. However, Simon has refused to sign a contract to that effect.

"My big beef is that they never raised the issue of incompetence, just this clash with the provost and now letters from the faculty saying I was unresponsive," Simon said. He declined to say whether he would be pursuing legal action to fight the pay cut.

"It's amazing that I've had a 25-year career and gone through six or seven university presidents and nine provosts and now they just don't like me," said Simon, who was a member of the search committee that recommended Ferraro for the provost vacancy. He said he has heard some refer to him as the "ponytailed dean."

Ferraro insists that it is not a matter of liking or disliking Simon personally.

"I have no personal animosity toward him. He just wasn't as effective in leadership as we felt he should have been," Ferraro said.