'Unacceptable'
By RYAN CHRISTNER
Fort Hays State University assistant professor and director of forensics Bill Shanahan, whose actions at a debate meet in March have thrust the school into the national spotlight, has been fired, university president Edward H. Hammond announced this morning.
Speaking before a small contingent of local television and news media at a press conference in Memorial Union, Hammond announced Shanahan's dismissal following a "violation of the university and faculty code of ethics."
"Everyone has a right to First Amendment speech, freedom of speech, but these actions are unacceptable for someone representing our university," Hammond said.
Shanahan's actions resulted in the suspension of the debate and forensics program, until such time as "we have some assurances from CEDA (the Cross Examination Debate Association) and NDT (the National Debate Tournament), the two national government bodies of intercollegiate debate, that there is a standard of decorum and a standard of civility that will be enforced in their activities," Hammond said.
A former college debater, Hammond said modern college debate has fallen far from the professional manner in which meets were conducted in his time.
"I had no idea that college debate had been degraded to the kind of display that we witnessed when we watched the events recently on the Internet," he said.
"(The debates) are laced with four-letter words, a lack of personal respect and a lack of civil discourse."
Current student debate scholarships will be honored for this year, Hammond said, later indicating some students might wish to transfer to another institution.
Hammond said the university first learned of the incident, which took place at a national debate tournament at Wichita State University, early this month, when a video of the events appeared on the Internet video-sharing site YouTube.
He said he was surprised such a length of time elapsed before the event was brought to university attention.
In the video, Shanahan is seen arguing intensely with University of Pittsburgh debate coach Shanara Reid-Brinkley, who was serving as a judge between FHSU and Towson State of Maryland.
FHSU had used debate rules to dismiss Reid-Brinkley as a judge, which the coach interpreted as being racially motivated. Reid-Brinkley is black. Hammond said the claims of racism are baseless.
One of the most infamous moments of the video includes Shanahan briefly pulling down his pants and turning his backside to the audience.
Although he clearly acted inappropriately, Hammond said people must not reflect solely upon Shanahan's actions in March.
"It is also important," he said, "to remember and to commend Bill Shanahan for all the good things that he accomplished for Fort Hays State. He is highly esteemed by the students and his debaters, and I have received endless e-mails of support from those individuals."
Hammond read a prepared statement by Shanahan, who was not present this morning.
In it, Shanahan apologized for how the event has reflected upon the university, but explained they "must be judged in the unique context of college debate, marked by its passion and rigorous intellectual engagement.
"I hope this incident does not detract from the incredible work done by Fort Hays State debate over the last decade, or my other contributions to FHSU, which are far greater than a 9-minute YouTube clip."
It isn't the first time Shanahan has been thrust into the spotlight. He was arrested in June 2007 for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, criminal trespass and battery for an altercation at a T-ball game in Hays.
He also was arrested in May 2006 for battery after an argument with his eye doctor.