The former director of the University of Akron Press, who lost his job during last year’s budget cuts, has filed a defamation-of-character lawsuit against the university.
Thomas Bacher claims University of Akron President Scott Scarborough told the media that the University Press was shut down because “a leadership issue existed at the press,” according to the lawsuit filed this week in the Ohio Court of Claims.
Bacher maintains the statement about his leadership was false and not the reason for the budget cuts at UA Press, a nonprofit that publishes books and poetry.
Scarborough, the University of Akron and the state of Ohio originally were named as defendants in the suit, but Scarborough was dismissed from the suit because only state agencies can be named as defendants in lawsuits in the Court of Claims.
University of Akron spokesman Wayne Hill declined via email on Thursday to discuss the case, saying only “the University is not commenting on this pending litigation.”
In the lawsuit, Bacher alleges Scarborough met with a local media organization in August to explain the controversial $40 million budget cuts announced the previous month that eliminated 215 positions, including Bacher’s.
In his statements, Scarborough admitted that “cuts were made too deep” with respect to the University Press and that he was unaware that the press employees were needed to handle projects that were underway or planned at the press.
“President Scarborough went on to say that a leadership issue existed at the press, and that his desire not to disparage someone led to a lack of information being released as to why staff members were laid off,” the lawsuit claims.
Bacher states in his lawsuit that he was never addressed about a leadership issue and was specifically told in private meetings with former Provost Mike Sherman on July 27 and again on Aug. 11 that the budget cuts were financially based and not a result of his job performance.
After Bacher received notice about the layoffs, his two-person staff was terminated and given two weeks to clean out their desks. Since Bacher was under contract, he had six months before he was let go.
He was paid $107,064.
Bacher became director at UA Press in August 2008 after 27 years of publishing experience in private publishing houses and university presses.
The suit states that when Bacher went to work for the press, it lacked procedures, employee responsibilities weren’t clearly defined, the distribution system was antiquated, marketing efforts weren’t impactful and the editorial board was not productive. The lawsuit maintains that under Bacher’s leadership, the press stayed within budget and grew from an annual production of two to five books published a year to 15 to 20 books.
He states that he also worked with other university partners to develop a series of books and developed and implemented IdeaExchange@UA, which showcased the research-based information generated by the university, its faculty and its students.
On Aug. 17, the university rescinded the closing of the press and announced it would move operations into its University Libraries system. An associate English professor was named as transitional director to work with Bacher on activities and to plan future operations. He is now the director and remains as an English professor. He will receive $13,500 for his extra duties in addition to his professor salary of $79,411.
The university rehired two of its staff for the same pay and the UA Press now employs four people for about $180,000. Previously, the salaries totaled about $200,000.
Bacher states that Scarborough’s comment injured his reputation, exposed him to public disgrace and led to lost business opportunities. He is seeking compensatory damages of more than $25,000.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.