Professor Wins $375,000 Jury Verdict in Unlawful Retaliation Lawsuit

Nicholas Alozie is a professor of public policy and founding head of the social science faculty group on the Polytechnic campus of Arizona State University. After teaching at Iowa State University, he joined the faculty at Arizona State University in 1991 as an assistant professor of public affairs and rose through the ranks in the School of Public Affairs on the Tempe campus, reaching the rank of full professor in 2001. He was recruited to the Polytechnic campus in 2005 to start a division of social science.

In 2014, Dr. Alozie claims he was passed over for promotion as dean of the College of Letters and Sciences due to the fact that he criticized the university’s hiring process and record on faculty diversity during his initial interview. He was not granted a second interview and subsequently filed a lawsuit in federal court. “My (court) challenge was a challenge to the system of exclusion, a system that has systematically excluded people that look like me from top management at ASU for a very, very long time,” Dr. Alozie said.

Recently a jury awarded Dr. Alozie $375,000, agreeing that the university unlawfully retaliated against the professor for stating his view.

The university has stated that there were other reasons why Dr. Alozie was not hired as dean and has filed a motion to overturn the verdict. In a statement, the university said that “the sentiments Dr. Alozie shared at his interview regarding the importance of efforts to increase institutional diversity are ones that the university agrees with, and his statements about diversity efforts were not the basis for the decision about his application for the dean position.”

Dr. Alozie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master of public administration degree from Texas Southern University in Houston. He earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in political economy from the University of Texas at Dallas.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. What I find rather troubling is Nicholas Alozie in ability to specifically say he was denied opportunities at ASU because he’s a “Black African immigrant”. Instead Nicholas rather use a politically correct description of his disparate treatment at ASU being “systematically excluded people that look like me”.

    The facts remain, Nicholas got his wake up call by the racist and insecure administrators at ASU. There are hundreds of African/Caribbean immigrants faculty who work at HWCUs who never develop any sort of alliance with native born Black American faculty because they’re too busy pleasing their White colleagues. Then, when they’re mistreated or denied tenure or other opportunities they have this sort of “I’m Black” persona in an effort to secure support from Black American faculty. I don’t think so pal.

    • Your judgement of Dr. Nicholas Alozie is simply wrong and uninformed. The truth here is that Dr. Alozie is a true Black African American that has sacrificed endlessly for fairness and diversity across all groups in America, including Black African Americans. And if you think differently, you clearly have not done your research. Dr. Alozie’s case was never about money, it was always and only about compelling ASU to do what is right.

      • Hey Joshua,

        Your response clearly show that you’re not a native born Black American. Let’s be clear Joshua, Nicholas surname easily show that he’s not a native born Black American so you stop with that nonsense. If I asked you of him where is your great-grandmother is from what would you say? Just like I thought. Therefore, spare me with your Tom Foolery.

    • Thank you for telling us that “Black African immigrants” are something less because they are not native born Black Americans. People like you are part of the problem in Black America. You are so willing to judge a person you know nothing about based on what, last name? This man you are so willing to castigate here has served as the elected chair of the Black Caucus at his university. Does that qualify as developing alliance with native born Black American faculty, “pal”?

      • Hey “Black Man”,

        You need to work on your reading comprehension skills immediately. I never said so-called Black African/Caribbean immigrants were less than “native born Black Americans. Your emotive response simple shows your own insecurity because you’re probably not a native born Black American. Truth be known “Black Man”. There is a significant difference on numerous levels between native born Black Americans and Black African/Caribbean immigrants. Case in point “Black Man”, the majority of Black African/Caribbean immigrants Do Not come to the USA to partner with native born Black Americans and their ongoing battles with systemic racism.

        In fact, most of these misinformed and confused persons come to the USA to literally siphon off, extract, and exploit the opportunities available. All the while having the same racist mentality as racist Whites. Therefore “Black Man”, spare me with your foolishness.

      • Hey Black Man,

        I can very easily tell that you’re not accustomed to being critically challenged based upon your Pollyannaish response. Since you’re a African or Caribbean immigrant, you are utterly clueless about White American racism. You’re probably the recipient of a White British education in the Caribbean or on the Continent of Africa which explains your unshakable ignorance of White American and especially in higher education.

        In close, you have a lot of homework to do before you began publicly speaking about native born Black Americans. I think it’s time for you take of sip of ginger tea along with a curry chicken.

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