Whistle Blower Consultant Expert Witness

Expert Witness No. 181

Virgina

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Employment Discrimination
Whistle Blower Protection
Cuitam Suits
Wrongful Discharge
Constructive Discharge

EXPERIENCE

Conducted the only national survey of 600 Whistle Blowers from all walks of life and all parts of the country. Consisted of 300 written surveys and 300 in depth interviews lasting 90 minutes each.
Can report qualitative and quantitative data on extent of management retaliation, extent of whistle blowings, profile of those likely to blow the whistle. Organization factors affecting severity of retaliation against whistle-blowers

QUALIFICATIONS

Full Professor of Sociology at Virginia Tech. With specialty at work place processes and organization
Has held former faculty appointments at Cornell University (Industrial Relations School) Boston College and others.
Has received grant support for whistle blower research project from Yale University and Aspen Institute.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Sociology University of California, Santa Barbara, 1977
M.A. Sociology University of California, Santa Barbara, 1972
B.A. Sociology Minors in History and Philosophy, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, 1970. With highest honors

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

1991-present Professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
1986-91 Associate Professor to Full Professor and Chairwoman, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, University of Toledo
1982-86 Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.
1981, Summer Research Scholar, Yale University, Program on Non-Profit Organizations/Institution for Social and Policy Studies.
1980-81 Assistant Professor, Sociology, Boston College
1980, Spring Distinguished Visiting Faculty, University of Aston, Industrial Relations Unit. Birmingham, England.
1977-80 Research Faculty, Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Ithaca, New York.
1976-77 Assistant Professor, Sociology, Regis College, Weston, MA

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

Sociology of Work and Organizations: alternatives to bureaucracy; organizational democracy and participation; worker resistance movements
Women and Work
Economic Sociology
Ethical dilemmas in organizations
Shared Leadership and collaborative Management in Organizations

RECENT COURSES TAUGHT

Graduate
Work Systems in Comparative Perspective
Power, Values and the Organization of Social Institutions
Economic Re-structuring and Job Creation Processes
Professional Seminar for Ph.D. students:  Developing the Career That You Want
Worker Participation in International Perspective: Leadership, Control and Equity in Work Organizations

Undergraduate
Creating a Just and Democratic Society:  Utopian Thinking
Work in Modern Society
Industrial Sociology
Gender and Work
Introduction to Sociology
Organizational Issues of the Workplace

SERVICE IN NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

ASA Dissertation Award Committee, 1996-present.  Selects for award the 'best' or most significant dissertation in the discipline for the year.
Member, American Sociological Association Committee on Committees (national elective position), 1993-95. Nominates individuals for all standing committees of the ASA.
Program Committee, Section on Organizations and Occupations, 1992. Planned program themes and contributors for 1992 Annual Meeting of the ASA (appointed position).
Member, ASA Committee on Employment, 1989-1993. (Presidential appointment).
Chair, Labor Studies Division, Society for the Study of Social Problems, 1985-87 (Elected by membership).
Board of Directors, National Center for Employee Ownership, 1981-83.
Coordinating Council, Association for Workplace Democracy, 1981-83.
Program Committee for the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, San Francisco, 1982.
Chair, Roundtable Sessions, ASA. Responsible for the selection of topics and presenters for 65 sessions at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. Toronto, 1981 (Presidential appointment).

UNIVERSITY SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Chair, Departmental Recruitment Committee (elected), 1998-1999.
University Promotion and Tenure Committee (appointed), 1997-1999.
A&S College Promotion and Tenure Committee (elected), 1995-1997.
Department's Executive Committee (elected), 1996-1998.
Department's Personnel Committee (elected), 1993-1994 (3 cases); and 1996-1997 (2 cases).
Arts and Sciences College Honorifics Committee Member 1991-94, to consider applications for research leave, research assignments, and distinguished positions in the A&S College.
Arts and Sciences College Faculty Development Committee Member 1991-94, to propose conditions that would facilitate faculty development in the College.
Department Graduate Committee Member 1991-1993; and 1997-1998.
Chair, Department Recruitment Committee, 1992-94. Successfully recruited two outstanding faculty members, one in social theory, the other in social psychology, as well as three visiting faculty appointments.
Chair, University Council on Human Rights and Social Responsibility, 1992-94. Makes recommendations to the President that would expand awareness and tolerance of diversity on campus.
Member, Committee on University Reward Structure, 1992-93. Advises Provost's Office of faculty views of the reward structure. Assisted in composing suitable questions; led focus groups on the subject.

University of Toledo
University-Level Appointments
· Affirmative Action Advisory Council: Reviews affirmative action and civil rights policy for the University, Presidential appointment, 1987-1991.
· Faculty Affairs Committee: Proposes and reviewed policies pertinent to faculty working conditions, Faculty Senate appointment 1989-1991.
· Search Committee for a University Vice President for Finance; faculty representative, Presidential appointment, 1986-87.
· Search Committee for a Director of the Opinion Research Institute; recruited a Director for a survey research center intended to serve multiple units,1987-88.
· Space and Facilities Planning Council: Developed space and facilities planning for the University, Faculty Senate appointment 1989-1991.
· Seagate Center Committee: Planned programs for Seagate Center, a new $36 million downtown facility intended to serve the needs of non-traditional adult students, 1987-91.

College-Level Appointments
· Committee on Writing Across the Curriculum: Developed a writing intensive program for the College, Dean's appointment, 1988-89.
· Committee on Teaching Evaluation Policy: Developed and passed a college-wide policy on student evaluation of teaching, Dean's appointment, 1986-87.
· Task Force on Business Minor: Developed a program to offer a business minor for Arts and Sciences majors, Dean's appointment, 1990-91.

Selected Departmental Achievements: (as Chair)
Building Renovation: Successfully argued for and competed with 46 other units to be ranked #1 in building renovation priority. Planned and managed a $400,000 renovation of the Sociology/Anthropology Building.
· Recruitment of Faculty: Argued for and received 5 full-time faculty slots and 9 part-time continuing instructorships. Successfully recruited new faculty members into all these positions who were considered to be among the best hires in the College.
· Non-Traditional Students: Offered the Seagate Center, a new $36 million downtown center intended to serve the needs on non-traditional (adult) students, a stream of special courses, sustaining the highest enrollments, quarter after quarter, of any unit using the center.
Curriculum: Reorganized the curriculum, adding 14 new courses, around three main themes or areas of strength: Law, Society and Inequality; Life Cycle, Aging and Health; Economy, Workplace and Society.
Enrollments: FTE enrollments advanced 47% in three years; undergraduate majors increased from 126 to 218. Graduate assistant lines in the Department, during a time when they were static at the University, were expanded from 9 to 11.67.
Overall: Responsible for the administration of a Departmental budget, and ended each year with a surplus that was carried forward. Responsible for personnel review including all promotion, tenure, pre-tenure, and annual merit reviews for 18 full-time faculty members and 3 superannuates, as well as review of all clerical staff members.

University of Louisville
Chair, Labor Studies Program. Responsible for the development of undergraduate and M.A. labor studies programs, Department of Sociology 1982-86.
Member, A&S Committee to Establish an Institute on Comparative Culture, 1983-84.
Member, Personnel Policy Committee, Department of Sociology, 1983-85.
University Advisory Committee to Create a Labor-Management Center. 1982-83.
Committee to Establish an Interdisciplinary M.S. in Labor Relations Between Law, Business and Sociology, 1982-83.
Member, Faculty Recruitment Committee, Department of Sociology, 1984-85.
Member, A&S Research Committee, Responsible for disbursement of A&S research grants and for nomination of Outstanding Scholar Awards, 1985-86.
Senate Merit Sub-Committee. Responsible for developing recommendations regarding University Merit system, 1985-86

Cornell University
Project Director. Responsible for research, coordination and administration of the "New Systems of Work and Participation Program," grants totaling over $400,000, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University, 1977-80.

PUBLICATIONS and BOOKS

Available upon request.

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

Available upon request.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

International Sociological Association
Sociologists for Women in Society
American Sociological Association
Society for the Study of Social Problems
Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Beta Kappa

KEYWORDS

employee discrimination expert witness, employee discharge expert witness, whistle blowers retaliatory discharge expert witness