Comments reportedly made by Oregon University System Chancellor Joseph Cox at a meeting with University classified employees Tuesday have “totally devastated” a Native American man and prompted him to pursue a grievance against Cox.
Jon Clark, a painter for facilities services and an enrolled member of the Oklahoma tribe of Comanche Indians, said Cox compared himself to Ward Bond, an actor who played the leader of a wagon train in a television series about pioneers traveling across the west.
“Ward Bond kills Indians during the series,” Clark said.
Clark said Cox’s comments about a need to “circle wagons” had obviousracist connotations for him.
He said the comments represented a Hollywood stereotypical view of Native Americans that was very offensive.
“I’m totally devastated,” Clark said. “I can’t tell you how much that hurt me.”
Cox’s office responded to the issue late on Wednesday with only a brief comment, because a formal grievance hasn’t been filed.
“There was no offense intended in any of the chancellor’s remarks,” said Philip Bransford, OUS spokesman. “The chancellor has long stood for inclusion and diversity for all people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.”
Oregon Public Employees Union stewards, who are familiar with the process of filing a discrimination grievance, were skeptical about Clark’s chances of success after an early review of the case.
Randy Collins, a power plant operator and the OPEU steward who talked with Clark, said the grievance was probably not actionable as a violation of the OPEU contract.
Because Cox is not Clark’s supervisor, nor is he in his direct chain of command, Clark may not have any recourse.
At the meeting, about 75 people gathered in the EMU Ballroom Tuesday morning listened to updates and asked questions of University officials including University President Dave Frohnmayer. Cox does not regularly attend the meetings, which happen twice a year and have been going on for three to four years, said Linda King, director of human resources.
Cox was invited on this occasion because much of the contract negotiations that affect classified employees, who are members of the Oregon Public Employees Union, take place at the system level.
Other audience members were also offended by Cox’s remarks.
Jane Poe, a management analyst in the office of resource management, said that she thought Cox was comparing himself to a wagon train leader to explain his role and duties as chancellor.
“I thought it was in poor taste,” she said.
Debi Baker, an Orbis technician in the Knight Library, said Cox’s comments may have represented a lack of understanding of classified employees.
“It appears that our chancellor has maybe not thought through what classified employees mean and the array of people we represent on this campus,” Baker said. “I understand where the chancellor was coming from, being raised white.”
Baker is part North Carolina Cherokee Indian, though she only discovered her heritage when her mother died, she said.
“I was embarrassed for the chancellor, and I was offended for my brother,” she said.
Not everyone in the audience shared these views.
Cox’s comments “certainly did not offend me,” said Jean Pickering, a secretary in the admissions office. “I personally didn’t read into it what [Clark] did.”
Clark, who walked out of the meeting in disgust, said if his grievance was not successful he would seek redress of his complaint through other labor agencies or legal recourse.
“I am shaken,” he said. “It’s going to take me a long time to recover.”