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Caplans no longer Martel RAs

Published: Friday, August 31, 2012

Updated: Friday, August 31, 2012 15:08


 

Ed Caplan and Maria Tsakalis Caplan are no longer Resident Associates at Martel College and moved out of Martel on Friday, Aug. 17, according to Dean of Undergraduates John Hutchinson. According to Maria Caplan, she has also been terminated from her full-time position at the Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center. 

Martel RAs Jeff and Stephanie Frey have extended their stay at Martel as the college begins recruitment to have new RAs in place by January, Hutchinson said. 

According to Maria Caplan, she and her husband were accused of the following offenses regarding their positions as RAs: drinking in inappropriate settings, providing alcohol to minors, poor leadership regarding alcohol education and policy, interference of alcohol and intoxication with performance of job duties and inappropriate physical contact. 

The same allegations were brought against Maria Caplan regarding her position as Nutrition and Body Image Specialist at the Rice Wellness Center, excluding inappropriate physical contact, Maria Caplan said. 

Hutchinson said that he could not comment on the specifics of the case because it involved personnel issues. According to Hutchinson, the changes regarding the RA positions occurred as a result of investigations prompted by concerns initially brought to the administration by students. Hutchinson could not say specifically what those concerns were. 

 “Upon hearing the concerns, we felt that they deserved an investigation,” Hutchinson said. “We have processes for following up on those investigations and processes for determining how to respond to what we learn from those investigations.”

Maria Caplan said she and her husband were shocked upon learning that they had to leave Martel immediately.

“This came out of completely nowhere,” Maria Caplan said. “We always looked at Martel as our family, as our home … Imagine being thrown out of your home.”

Hutchinson said personnel decisions regarding RA appointments and other university staff positions are made independently of one another.

“The position of Resident Associate and any other staff position in the university are both employment positions and are separate appointments,” Hutchinson said. 

Rice University Human Resources Policy No. 411-93 on Discipline states that when administering all disciplinary action, the seriousness and frequency of the offense, past records and circumstances are taken into consideration.

“Rice University expects that following basic standards of conduct will promote a high quality work environment and ensure responsible behavior,” the Rice website states. “The supervisor should notify an employee whose job performance is inadequate, explaining … the expectations for improvement. Because of the individual nature of each situation, Rice University reserves the right to impose discipline appropriate to the circumstances.”

Hutchinson said that though personnel decisions ultimately rest with him, the administration engaged in a careful and deliberative process in investigating the allegations against the Caplans.

“A lot of people weigh in on this. As a consequence, there are lots of checks and balances in the university to make sure everyone is treated fairly,” Hutchinson said. “The university places a high priority on ensuring that we are fair, deliberative and consultative. We are confident when the time comes to make the decision that we have made a decision in the best interest of the students.”

Maria Caplan said she felt that she and her husband had been treated unfairly.

“We were guilty until proven innocent while they did their investigation,” Maria Caplan said. 

According to Maria Caplan, neither she nor her husband were given the opportunity to discuss the allegations made against them with Hutchinson. 

Hutchinson confirmed that he did not meet personally with the Caplans to discuss the allegations made against them with them.

“There were multiple conversations with the Caplans by more than one member of the administration,” Hutchinson said. “I was not [one of those members].”

Maria Caplan said she had met with Associate Dean of Undergraduates Donald Ostdiek once, when she was in his offce on Aug. 17 and first received the orders to leave Martel.

“We never had a chance to defend ourselves against accusations which led to our forced resignation from the RA position and termination from my full time position at the Wellness Center,” Maria Caplan said.

Maria Caplan said she felt that the allegations made regarding her RA position may have influenced the status of her job at the Wellness Center.

“I was not rightfully terminated,” Maria Caplan said. “I only received stellar reviews during my time at the Wellness Center. I’d just received a rave [review] from Dean Hutchinson stating what a wonderful job I had been doing at the Wellness Center, so I was really confused as to why a few allegations brought against me in the RA position would ever affect my Wellness Center position.”

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13 comments

Hansen 79
Thu Jan 31 2013 01:06
Once again Hutcinson proves he should be fired. I no longer fund or recommend this school.
Anonymous
Tue Sep 18 2012 23:13
I too have had experience with the shoddy pseudo investigations performed by Rice regarding aligations of wrong doing. Usually it is a student who suffers. I wish the Caplans my best and ask that alumni, parents and former staff speak up and speak the truth. Rice is no more honorable than Penn State when it comes down to it.
Anonymous
Tue Sep 4 2012 10:47
Won't this account dissuade other staff members from becoming RAs? If you were ever a Rice student, you know that RAs look the other way during parties - that's part of their job, as they can't intervene in truly dangerous situations without student trust. Sometimes they come in and say hi. Sometimes while doing that they see someone at risk of getting sick and give them food/water. They're certainly the best at chasing off people from other colleges who get to rowdy. And when I was a student, I thought this was brilliant - and I was under the impression the point of the alcohol policy was to encourage this sort of healthy behavior, rather than to leave underage students to chug vodka in their rums or to drink and drive off-campus.

If the accusations are just what Maria Caplan stated in this article, it's going to be a laughingstock at court. An adult fired for drinking in her home?! Please.

Anonymous
Mon Sep 3 2012 19:18
To the alumnus that posted on 8/31/2012@13:12, I am a former staff member of Rice University, and I can tell you that Rice does not conduct thorough nor complete investigations. I am not attacking your position, you have the right to it, but I would urge caution. I was personally involved in an investigation of alleged misconduct prior to my leaving and I can tell you this: That investigation was botched, evidence was never submitted to the accused and the evidence that was gathered was shaky at best. However, to achieve the end that the department head wanted, a spin was placed on the evidence. Now, because the evidence was never shown to the accused, they had no way to combat the spin thus making it more effective. Investigations should be that, investigations. Not spin competitions. They should be unbiased and ethical in their approach and did not see any of that during my time at Rice. As a further qualification, I am not saying that the Caplans are innocent or guilty, I was not there, nor a part of this investigation. Again, I merely urge caution.
Anonymous
Mon Sep 3 2012 16:43
If they wanted to win some kind of law suit on wrongfully being fired, then contributing to this article and sending various letters and messages to fire people up probably doesn't help the case. And accusing RA's and Masters of looking the other way on underage drinking is just pointless. Its not their job to police us. We may as well accuse our parents of looking the other way too.
Anonymous
Sat Sep 1 2012 13:53
I don't understand why this is being hushed up. Doesn't the Martel community at large deserve both sides of the truth? Especially because a third party (administration) is responsible for ultimately severing what I felt was a very positive relationship between Martel and the Caplans. We are owed an honest explanation, which they can, of course, do while keeping names anonymous. But by withholding information from the community they are effectively keeping us from being able to raise objections as to how the situation was handled. Ultimately, I think, that's what's upsetting people.
Anonymous
Sat Sep 1 2012 02:27
As another alumna, I have to say I've never been more disgusted with Martel's leadership. The fact that you all are letting two key parts of our community - two people who were near universally adored at Martel, and who were undeniably the best RAs I knew while there - leave in uninvestigated disgrace without due process is something I am ashamed of. "Grow up" would be an easy accusation to make if we were clinging to the two as RAs, but Ed & Maria were people I (and I'm sure the other person) considered good friends. Jeff & Steph are leaving and have been busy having a baby; Ted & Beata are leaving soon. Ed & Maria were a part of Martel that our class grew to love, and given the shoddiness of student leadership on the issue and the unreasonable insistence on complete SILENCE from both the administration (when they blacked out the comments earlier) and current Martel leadership (when I get calls as a graduate insisting that I delete a private facebook status about this?!), I'm happy to defend them in all the ways that I can.
Anonymous
Fri Aug 31 2012 23:22
As a Martel parent, I agree with Maria Caplan's statement that Rice RAs and Masters look the other way on underage drinking. Sure, drinking occurs at all college campuses, but the Rice culture (wet campus) makes it easier. Maybe, Dean Hutchinson and his gang should attend ALL public parties this year and see first hand.
Anonymous
Fri Aug 31 2012 13:55
It's difficult to judge the administration on this when they can't talk about personnel issues for legal reasons. Right now, the Caplans get to say whatever they want about the situation while Dean Hutchinson and others are forced to be vague. I wonder how much this story would change if we got to hear both sides' viewpoints rather than just one.
Anonymous
Fri Aug 31 2012 13:12
For all those quick to judge and criticize the actions of Dean Hutch, please realize the arrogance and ignorance in your thoughts. No one but administration and those involved really knows what went on with the Caplans. As for those alumna who assume they know everything from probably the one-sided discussions they've had with the Caplans, please, please grow up. Go back to your adult lives and let Martel go on. Dean Hutchinson and the rest of administration are here to help us. It would be wrong of them to know of student concerns and not act swiftly. You have no idea the stress this has probably put on Martel. As for Martel, I've never been more proud of its leadership. As for the new Martel students, please ignore all of this. Enjoy your time at your new home.
Anonymous
Fri Aug 31 2012 12:30
Dear Maria Caplan:

You are so hot. You can get me drunk and inappropriately touch me any time you want.

Anonymous
Fri Aug 31 2012 11:24
As a Rice alumna who has heard about this situation from several different sources, I am disgusted with the university's actions in this situation. If the Caplans had engaged in inappropriate conduct regarding the alcohol policy, then certainly they shouldn't be RAs - however, it seems to me that there has been a COMPLETE lack of investigation, and Dean Hutch (who I have always respected greatly, until now) continues to cover for Ostdiek, even though I am sure that he himself knows that this situation was handled unfairly. Furthermore, it is completely unacceptable for Maria to be fired from her Wellness Center job as a result of these accusations (which are completely RA-related). I have heard firsthand from many students that Maria was the entire reason why the Wellness Center has developed sustainable, effective programs within the past year. She had no reason to be fired, and I certainly hope the Caplans take legal action against Rice University for the poor way this situation was handled.

Dean Hutchinson - if you're reading this - know that myself and many other alumni have lost complete faith and respect in you. As the leader of the undergraduate culture at Rice University, you (above anyone else) have the responsibility of correctly carrying out the rules and regulations. Firing someone from their job without an investigative process is not acceptable, ever. And the fact that you continue to state that an investigative process did occur (which everyone who has spoken with anyone knows that it didn't), is disgusting.

On this day, for the first time, I can say that I am ashamed to be a Rice Owl.

Anonymous
Fri Aug 31 2012 05:36
Must be pretty rough for a lot of people over at Martel right now, but they're a resilient bunch. Sounds like everything should go back to normal soon enough, at least for the majority of students. Leave the rest of the bureaucratic damage to the selfless Masters and volunteer student government officials for clean-up. That's usually the Rice way of getting things done, as the higher-ups, whose poor policy enforcement caused the worst of the wreckage, like to wash their hands of these situations, do their best to get away with ambiguous commentary in the Thresher, and quickly retreat into their ivory towers of academia. Unsurprisingly, it sounds like Hutch and the administration really botched up this one. As Associate Dean, Ostdiek oversees both Student Judicial Programs and the Wellness Center... Why Maria Caplan lost her job there because of what appear to be her husband's inappropriate actions is still unclear, and Hutch seems to want to keep it that way despite his stating that "each position is evaluated separately"... sounds pretty fishy to me. An RA definitely shouldn't be drinking/intoxicated in front of students during O-Week, and their behavior warrants their removal from the College, but threatening someone's career seems like overkill in this situation. As Doc C would say, "Watch the hands, people!"

Also, I'm just waiting for some immature idiot to start the whole "You mean Martel DORMITORY!" crap while they're clearly dealing with some pretty un-fun stuff over there. Grow up people.





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