While enrolled as an online graduate student, I experienced one of the worst forms of discrimination and retaliation, and was eventually ousted from the Master of Public Administration program. I took out more than $30,000 in student loans to attend that school and because I criticized Thomas Darling and Larry Thomas, I failed the Capstone course by .50 point. As a result of a letter, I also failed a basic technology course taught by a new professor named Sezgin Ayabakan. He too was part of the conspiracy to force me out of the MPA program, and it worked. These professors refused to grade all of my assignments, accused me of failing to turn in work and on time, accused me of poor basic grammar skills, and stated that I did not earn the right to receive a master's degree from that sorry school. After two years of complaints to various state and federal agencies, speaking with numerous lawyers begging them to take my case and blogging about my experience, I have come to agree with the morons who ruined both my academic and professional future. I do not deserve a master's degree from UB because I deserve so much more. I left that school with a 3.4 grade point average and rightfully earned more than 33 credit hours in the MPA program. Now, I am starting over at another university. A better university; one where women and minorities are treated with decency, respect, and fairness. A university where faculty members are held accountable for their actions and do not behave in hateful ways.
Following my final semester at UB and upon learning that I had failed both courses attempted, I did what any student would have done. I contacted the University Dean's office for assistance and guidance with filing a formal grievance against my oppressors. Kathy Anderson, Dean of Students refused to allow me access to her office for a sit down meeting. This is a violation of federal law under Title VI. My rights were further violated when the dean of the School of Public & International Affairs appointed Debra Stanley to oversee the complaint and grievance process. In the end, my complaint and grievance were never reviewed by anyone at the university. I have Debra Stanley to thank for this elaborate cover up. She lied and claimed to have never received my complaint and grievance although I sent them via email. Email does not lie, however professors at the University of Baltimore do very well, and even to federal officials.
Like I said, I am continuing my education elsewhere to move forward with my life. I have suffered from insomnia, depression, stomach ailments and unemployment since being ousted from the MPA program. I can no longer continue living as a hostage. As far as the student loans, I am not going to pay them. My husband and I own a very nice home, have three new cars and enough credit cards. There is nothing that I need in the next seven years which bad credit due to student loan default will prevent. In the meantime, I will let the world know what happened to me at the University of Baltimore and hopefully my story will serve as a cautionary tale for everyone, particularly those considering applying to the MPA program at the University of Baltimore. Be very careful about that university; having a black university president means nothing to minority students. Kurt Schmoke is a very bad person who should be ashamed of himself. In fact, he is an embarrassment and I feel very lucky that I do not have that school's name on my resume.