Opinion ID: 2570739
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Parrish Administrative Proceeding

Text: Dr. Mritunjoy Sengupta is a United States citizen of Indian birth and descent. Between 1990 and 1995, he was a tenured professor of mining engineering with the School of Mineral Engineering, Department of Mining and Geological Engineering at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). In 1992 and 1993, Sengupta brought three grievances alleging that (1) Sengupta, rather than Dr. Sukumar Bandopadhyay, should have been appointed acting head of the Mining and Geological Engineering Department; (2) Sengupta, rather than Bandopadhyay, should have been appointed as the director of UAF's Mining and Mineral Resource Research Institute; and (3) Sengupta's salary level was inequitable under the circumstances. The grievance proceeding was conducted by Hearing Officer James Parrish. In his June 24, 1994 decision, Parrish recommended that each grievance be denied. In evaluating Sengupta's honesty, collegiality, and professionalism in relation to the grievance claims, Parrish specifically found that Sengupta had demeaned, degraded, and abused his colleagues; intentionally misrepresented his academic degrees; repeatedly dealt with his colleagues and the University in a dishonest manner; testified falsely under oath multiple times during the hearing; created and introduced false documents; and committed plagiarism by copying material from another University professor without proper credit. University Chancellor Joan Wadlow accepted Parrish's recommendations and denied all of Sengupta's grievances. Chancellor Wadlow advised Sengupta that her July 12, 1994 written decision represented the University's final decision and that Sengupta could obtain further review only by appealing the decision in superior court within thirty days in accordance with Alaska Appellate Rule 602(a)(2). Sengupta did not appeal Chancellor Wadlow's decision within this time period.