Home » About » Newsletters » December 1998
USF Doctors Resist Coerced Religion
By Jessica Connor
Editor/Public Education Coordinator, December 1998
State university professors driven from campus because they didn't follow the religious dogma of the department chair. Forced participation in prayer and religious proselytization at faculty meetings. Academic and employment decisions made by "consulting with God and His prophets." One might think these circumstances are inconceivable in 1998. But this is exactly how chairman Dr. James Rowsey ran the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of South Florida in Tampa. His practices forced at least three doctors to resign from the department, two of whom have now brought suit against the University after years of religious discrimination.
On October 29th, the ACLU of Florida's Tampa Chapter sued the University of South Florida (USF) on behalf of two ophthalmologists on claims that University officials and Dr. Rowsey violated the First Amendment, Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act and various state laws prohibiting religious harassment and discrimination. In their complaint, filed by ACLU cooperating attorney John MacKay, Dr. Robert Urban, Jr. and Dr. Steven Gross charge that they were subjected to repeated and harassing religious discrimination at the hands of Rowsey, who coerced workers to pray and penalized those who refused. The suit also alleges that the University turned a blind eye to the entire matter despite repeated complaints by faculty and staff. A third doctor, Mitchell Drucker, also represented by ACLU cooperating attorney MacKay, settled similar claims against the University for monetary compensation.
In its complaint, the ACLU alleges that Rowsey informed the Department that he was a "prayer warrior" with the intention to create "the best Christian ophthalmology department in the country." A memorandum he distributed to the Department also warned the faculty that secularism "is the most destructive influence in our civilization." He forced his staff to participate in prayer at faculty meetings and other University events and he displayed religious icons and sent religious publications to his staff. Rowsey often used University equipment and supplies to further his religious practices. Faculty members who did not participate in the prayers and other rituals were ridiculed, received less favorable annual evaluations, and were denied coveted positions and appointments. Ultimately, they were driven from the Department and replaced by doctors who shared Rowsey's religious beliefs.
Drs. Urban and Gross, along with other doctors who objected to Rowsey's practices, tried to avoid the prayers by arriving late to the faculty meetings. But Rowsey would delay the prayers until they arrived. Gross was then disciplined for his tardiness.
University officials knew about Rowsey's activities, having received a number of written complaints from faculty members about Rowsey's harassing religious activities, but did little to stop him.
At one point the University issued a bland set of instructions that Rowsey cease coercive religious activities. One internal University memorandum confessed, "I share the concern that religious discrimination may be occurring within the Department of Opthamology. However, I do not believe that I can appropriately address this concern with Dr. Rowsey."
Two months after ACLU attorney MacKay gave notice to the University of its former faculty members' intent to sue, Rowsey resigned as department chair. Rowsey was also further disciplined because he used University staff to mail invitations to a prayer breakfast on University letterhead and with University postage.
Urban and Gross resigned in March 1997, citing the University's refusal to prevent Rowsey from subjecting its employees to religious harassment and discrimination. Urban is now chief ophthalmologist at Tampa General Hospital. Gross is in private practice in Tampa and St. Petersburg.
It is likely to be a long and difficult battle, but thanks to the hard work of the Tampa Chapter and Cooperating Attorney John MacKay the ACLU is one step closer to ensuring that the University of South Florida does not force its faculty to endure unwanted proselytizing and religious discrimination in the workplace.
