The department now offers only one section of Russian and covers German using part-time faculty. Despite the time lag, faculty and administrators agree the selection process is supposed to be straightforward. The replacement process surrounding the loss of physics professors Henry Garon in 1998 and the Rev. A. Ransom Marlow, S.J., in January has been anything but simple. Murky evolution From the physics department's perspective, the trouble started in 1998, when Henry Garon retired from the department after being named a full professor that year. Both the department and the dean's office agree that Garon left.
Stories begin to diverge after that.
The search for Garon's replacement was put on hold until his retirement package was paid out, Scully said. The provost eventually gave permission for the search last summer, Scully said. The physics department said a filing error held off the search. Creston King, physics chairman, said he didn't have time to fill out a search request for Garon's replacement that semester, and the process became rushed. At that time Robert Rowland, former Arts and Sciences dean, stepped down and acting dean Connie Rodriguez approved the search, King said.