The university administration has formally reversed the decision to dismiss Dr. Lewis. We are currently reviewing the terms of his reinstatement to ensure the department retains its current direction. Thank you for maintaining the pressure that forced this outcome.
June 7, 2015
Final supporters
Our professor, and Director of the Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Department at the University of Texas at Dallas, is facing dismissal from our school, and nobody really understands why. There are a number of rumors out there but, nonetheless, many at the Jindal School of Management are outraged, both faculty and students alike.
There is no doubt that this professor meets and/or exceeds expectations when it comes to how he teaches. Some may think his methods are a bit unorthodox, or that he is a bit too strict for their taste. But a common opinion we, the students of UTD, have is that he is a great professor, a great mentor, and a dear friend.
Allow me to argue my point:
First, class and curriculum -
Before Dr. Lewis arrived, there was no true HR program, and if anyone argues that there was, very few students knew anything about it - it had been hidden underneath all the math-intensive courses offered at the school. Nobody raised awareness of the concentration like he did. The program is still relatively new, but in the 2-1/2 years I've been in the program, I've seen the number of students multiply tenfold. I accredit the growth of the program to the fact that his methods appeal to students who hunger for challenge, practical application and high standards.
In addition, he has improved the Business Administration major as a whole. Not only has Dr. Lewis attracted undecided majors into the degree program, but he has encouraged them to pursue a concentration, in order to strengthen their degree.
Second, his desire to see his students succeed -
He, along with a group of enthusiastic students, helped create the Society for Human Resource Management student chapter in the Fall of 2013. Membership growth came very quickly and they can now boast being the largest SHRM student chapter in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The SHRM has been influential in improving the school's OBHR program, and enhancing efforts in making UTD the prime source for talent in the local HR community. These and other initiatives have enabled the SHRM to serve as the model for other SHRM student chapters across the country.
His desire to see his students succeed carries on to Phi Beta Lambda, another great student organization. He mentored a group of intelligent, competitive students of high character from majors across our business school. He led PBL to 1st place in our 2014 State Competitions (subsequently breaking state records) and put our school on the map at Nationals.
And last, but not least, his persona -
When he says he has an open-door policy, it is an open-door policy. For many other educators, I've witnessed, this policy was simply an empty promise. Dr. Lewis mentors. Dr. Lewis advises. Dr. Lewis encourages. But, most importantly, Dr. Lewis takes the time to listen. In my entire academic career, I have yet to meet anyone who can come close to matching him.
Furthermore, as a professor who loves his students, he inspires us to become part of something greater than ourselves. We've had mixers, projects, networking events - all in an effort to ensure that we were well-rooted and part of a strong unit. This has enhanced our love for the JSOM, and UT Dallas.
All of this, because of Dr. Lewis.
Many of us know student evaluations of professors can be warped - as is with any other survey, there are many more people who are inclined to talk about their negative experiences than there are people to talk about their positives. And don't get me started on ratemyprofessors.com.
Dr. Lewis is not deserving of a dismissal - there is too much left to be done. He is the perfect person for the position he is currently in and his efforts have undoubtedly enhanced the reputation of the Jindal School of Management within the professional community. Nobody else has the drive to improve the value of the OBHR program and to heighten the reputation of the school like he does.
Nobody.
Please take a moment to sign this petition and demonstrate to the school that you want Dr. Lewis to stay. If you care about the growth of the business school...if you care about the OBHR program...if you crave challenge...and you have high standards and expectations, you'll sign this petition, and have your fellow Comets (current/former students and alumni) sign it too.
Thank you for your time. Please sign and share.
Updates
March 31, 2015
The administration has acknowledged the volume of signatures and requested a formal meeting to discuss the petition. My team is currently reviewing policy documents and preparing a briefing for that session. Expect another update as soon as there is a concrete outcome to report.
Reached 100 supporters
March 31, 2015
47 Comments
I have been very privileged to be taught by Dr. Lewis, I experienced what it means to be professional. Dr Lewis is very accessible and always challenges you not to settle for less. Dr. Lewis will get you ready and fit for the professional world, I believe that he is a great asset for the JSOM.
Dr. Lewis is one of the finest and most capable professors I have had in the JSOM. To fire Dr. Lewis is to impede the progress of the school and is self damaging. If UTDallas wants to further their educational programs they should keep him as a professor.
Dr. Lewis is deeply committed to his craft and his students and has worked very hard at UTD to develop the OBHR program to what it is today. If there are students that have grievances against Dr. Lewis, it is because they failed to meet his expectations and they could not accept the consequences of their own actions and put the blame on the professor!
If all you're looking for in college academics is an easy grade to get through, do not sign. If you are looking for a challenge, and discipline in a class environment taught with high intellectual stimulating lectures, please do yourself a favor and sign to keep this great professor with us at UTD. That way you do not become one of the many unemployed Americans with a college degree.
To put it simply Dr.Lewis was my inspiration to stay involved with the UT Dallas community rather than being like many of the other students at UTD and go to class and then home. He guided me to find new opportunities and how to really take advantage of everything that UTD has to offer.
I thoroughly concur with this petition. Dr. Lewis was easily one of the top two professors I had in my academic career. He was one of the few that successfully kept the focus of the class career oriented. He was the only professor that every called me out for not giving my best effort (i graduated summa cum laude). That was incredibly important to me, because he taught/reminded me that school is not about grades. If we are not preparing for careers, than what's the point? Long story short, he is an incredible asset to UTD.
Dr. Lewis' class is one of the few that I honestly learned in. Many people are not fans of him but I believe he is too good of a professor to let go.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
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The university administration has formally reversed the decision to dismiss Dr. Lewis. We are currently reviewing the terms of his reinstatement to ensure the department retains its current direction. Thank you for maintaining the pressure that forced this outcome.
June 7, 2015
Final supporters
Our professor, and Director of the Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Department at the University of Texas at Dallas, is facing dismissal from our school, and nobody really understands why. There are a number of rumors out there but, nonetheless, many at the Jindal School of Management are outraged, both faculty and students alike.
There is no doubt that this professor meets and/or exceeds expectations when it comes to how he teaches. Some may think his methods are a bit unorthodox, or that he is a bit too strict for their taste. But a common opinion we, the students of UTD, have is that he is a great professor, a great mentor, and a dear friend.
Allow me to argue my point:
First, class and curriculum -
Before Dr. Lewis arrived, there was no true HR program, and if anyone argues that there was, very few students knew anything about it - it had been hidden underneath all the math-intensive courses offered at the school. Nobody raised awareness of the concentration like he did. The program is still relatively new, but in the 2-1/2 years I've been in the program, I've seen the number of students multiply tenfold. I accredit the growth of the program to the fact that his methods appeal to students who hunger for challenge, practical application and high standards.
In addition, he has improved the Business Administration major as a whole. Not only has Dr. Lewis attracted undecided majors into the degree program, but he has encouraged them to pursue a concentration, in order to strengthen their degree.
Second, his desire to see his students succeed -
He, along with a group of enthusiastic students, helped create the Society for Human Resource Management student chapter in the Fall of 2013. Membership growth came very quickly and they can now boast being the largest SHRM student chapter in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The SHRM has been influential in improving the school's OBHR program, and enhancing efforts in making UTD the prime source for talent in the local HR community. These and other initiatives have enabled the SHRM to serve as the model for other SHRM student chapters across the country.
His desire to see his students succeed carries on to Phi Beta Lambda, another great student organization. He mentored a group of intelligent, competitive students of high character from majors across our business school. He led PBL to 1st place in our 2014 State Competitions (subsequently breaking state records) and put our school on the map at Nationals.
And last, but not least, his persona -
When he says he has an open-door policy, it is an open-door policy. For many other educators, I've witnessed, this policy was simply an empty promise. Dr. Lewis mentors. Dr. Lewis advises. Dr. Lewis encourages. But, most importantly, Dr. Lewis takes the time to listen. In my entire academic career, I have yet to meet anyone who can come close to matching him.
Furthermore, as a professor who loves his students, he inspires us to become part of something greater than ourselves. We've had mixers, projects, networking events - all in an effort to ensure that we were well-rooted and part of a strong unit. This has enhanced our love for the JSOM, and UT Dallas.
All of this, because of Dr. Lewis.
Many of us know student evaluations of professors can be warped - as is with any other survey, there are many more people who are inclined to talk about their negative experiences than there are people to talk about their positives. And don't get me started on ratemyprofessors.com.
Dr. Lewis is not deserving of a dismissal - there is too much left to be done. He is the perfect person for the position he is currently in and his efforts have undoubtedly enhanced the reputation of the Jindal School of Management within the professional community. Nobody else has the drive to improve the value of the OBHR program and to heighten the reputation of the school like he does.
Nobody.
Please take a moment to sign this petition and demonstrate to the school that you want Dr. Lewis to stay. If you care about the growth of the business school...if you care about the OBHR program...if you crave challenge...and you have high standards and expectations, you'll sign this petition, and have your fellow Comets (current/former students and alumni) sign it too.
Thank you for your time. Please sign and share.
Updates
March 31, 2015
The administration has acknowledged the volume of signatures and requested a formal meeting to discuss the petition. My team is currently reviewing policy documents and preparing a briefing for that session. Expect another update as soon as there is a concrete outcome to report.
Reached 100 supporters
March 31, 2015
47 Comments
I only had one class with Vance, but I still consider his class to be the point at which my perspective about graduate life changed. Vance taught me how to learn better by engaging in the subject matter. Yes, Vance is a challenging professor, but I believe that is a great quality that more faculty should possess.
I have been very privileged to be taught by Dr. Lewis, I experienced what it means to be professional. Dr Lewis is very accessible and always challenges you not to settle for less. Dr. Lewis will get you ready and fit for the professional world, I believe that he is a great asset for the JSOM.
Dr. Lewis is one of the finest and most capable professors I have had in the JSOM. To fire Dr. Lewis is to impede the progress of the school and is self damaging. If UTDallas wants to further their educational programs they should keep him as a professor.
Dr. Lewis is deeply committed to his craft and his students and has worked very hard at UTD to develop the OBHR program to what it is today. If there are students that have grievances against Dr. Lewis, it is because they failed to meet his expectations and they could not accept the consequences of their own actions and put the blame on the professor!
If all you're looking for in college academics is an easy grade to get through, do not sign. If you are looking for a challenge, and discipline in a class environment taught with high intellectual stimulating lectures, please do yourself a favor and sign to keep this great professor with us at UTD. That way you do not become one of the many unemployed Americans with a college degree.
To put it simply Dr.Lewis was my inspiration to stay involved with the UT Dallas community rather than being like many of the other students at UTD and go to class and then home. He guided me to find new opportunities and how to really take advantage of everything that UTD has to offer.
I thoroughly concur with this petition. Dr. Lewis was easily one of the top two professors I had in my academic career. He was one of the few that successfully kept the focus of the class career oriented. He was the only professor that every called me out for not giving my best effort (i graduated summa cum laude). That was incredibly important to me, because he taught/reminded me that school is not about grades. If we are not preparing for careers, than what's the point? Long story short, he is an incredible asset to UTD.
Dr. Lewis' class is one of the few that I honestly learned in. Many people are not fans of him but I believe he is too good of a professor to let go.
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I only had one class with Vance, but I still consider his class to be the point at which my perspective about graduate life changed. Vance taught me how to learn better by engaging in the subject matter. Yes, Vance is a challenging professor, but I believe that is a great quality that more faculty should possess.