Here is a short selection of the comments made by alumni and parents on the petition AAUP recently submitted in support of the faculty at risk of being fired in the iboga plant controversy (and in hopes of rehiring the conservatory manager who has already departed). Find out more about the controversy on our In the News page.
Gratitude to the over 2,300 who signed! — concerned alums and parents, students, community members, and scientists and scholars from Miami and beyond.
Margo Kinney: I am disappointed in Miami’s decision to get rid of these professors. I think they and Brian Grubb were treated unfairly. I would hope that the university would reverse its decision. I am a Miami graduate from the class of 1963.V
Nancy Benight: Proud Miami grad and Ph.D. scientist who completely supports these faculty members.
Michael Bisson: Alum and former employee. The actions taken by the university are excessively harsh, and should be rectified.
Margaret Breidenbaugh: This disciplinary action is disproportionate and inappropriate. I am embarrassed that my alma mater is choosing to be reactionary rather than support academic integrity.
Brooke Becker: As an alumnus of Miami University, I’m deeply saddened and disappointed in the disciplinary actions imposed on Dan & John.
Jennifer Cahill:As an alum of Miami (‘11 and ‘13), I’m disturbed and upset to see the administration taking such a rash and hurtful course of action against these professors. I’m hopeful that the university will feel the backlash and reconsider this decision.
Cynthia Tunney: 1981 MU grad- Botany BA, Environmental Education minor, current Environmental Educator. Without research (and in this case cultivation), there is no education and awareness! 4
Douglas Meer: Dr. Cinnamon changed my life and the way I look at the world. Simple as that.
Edward Blazey: As a 1967 graduate from the botany department, i felt free to do my research on lignin. Intimidating Dr. Gladish and Dr. Cinnomom for research on plants is a travesty. Issues with the deadliest plants, hemlock, oleander,,monkshood, white snake root, angles trumpet, dumbcane, manchineel tree, suicide tree, rosary peas, castor bean, would never have been resolved without plant research. The iboga tree is a perfect research gem.
Eileen Udry: Please reconsider this decision and the circumstances surrounding this situation.
Emily Elizondo: I am an alumna of Miami University and I find these terminations to be unfair. The Miami University I attended was a place of learning and growth over a broad spectrum of subject areas. These individuals have done nothing illegal, and what happened to them I find to be unjust.
Kristi Ferguson: I disagree with the University’s actions and request the professors retain their academic standing and benefits.
Hayley Mollmann: As an alumnus of Miami’s Botany Department, and a science educator, I am appalled at the unfair and unreasonable treatment of Professor Gladish, Professor Cinnamon, and Mr. Grubb. It is extremely common for plant collections to contain plants from which culturally relevant controlled medicinal or psychoactive substances can be derived, and the presence of those plants pose no risk to the students or public who benefit from visiting and studying those collections. The decision to revoke tenure and fire these individuals is not in keeping with the Miami University I knew and loved, which valued scientific inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge. If this decision is not reversed, this will serve as a black stain tarnishing the academic reputation of my alma mater.
Janice Gott: That tree was not drugs! It had cultural significance for the botany garden. Don’t overreact. JG, MU Alumnus 1978.
Jessica Irvin: The whole situation comes off as terribly embarrassing as the university has overlooked the potential for research and merely labeled a plant as a drug and ruined the reputations of loyal employees.A
Jason Day: It’s a sad state of affairs when our current administration can react so harshly over a rare plant specimen. Finding fault in faculty over a legally own plant is absurd and embarrassing for the Miami University community and alumni. Many plant species have the potential to create drugs both helpful and harmful for example, foxglove, willow bark or snakeroot. The shrub in question was not a controlled illegal plant but was a plant that some U.S. Botanical collections have failed to propagate. Please reconsider this decision to terminate. 2001 Nursing Alumnus.
Jennifer Adams: I disagree with the firing of professor Cinnamon and Gladish.
Janet Karvouniaris: Plants in a conservatory are there to be studied! Humanities and Theory of Knowledge Instructor, American Community Schools of Athens
Dr James A Saunders: As a Phd graduate of the Botany Dept. of Miami University I support the effort to retain the faculty and staff who exercised their obligation to do research on the campus of Miami.
Amber Jones: Dr. Cinnamon was a great professor of mine, I still reference the class I took with him to this day. This whole situation sheds light on the flaws of Miami’s biased and overall lacking disciplinary processes. I bet if they were involved in sports programs or brought in more money this wouldn’t be an issue. As an alumnus this is disappointing and embarrassing. Bring them back.
Laura Klein: I am an alumna of the Miami University Botany department and I am very saddened to see the university to continually disband what was once a internationally recognized botanical research program. People like Dan Gladish are some of the last bastions of knowledgable botanists who can serve the student body of Miami University.
Lex Mosie: I am a graduate of Miami University and it saddens me to hear that they are taking such radical and unjust actions. I hope this situation is corrected soon!
Matt Hannahan: Signing this after reading the very well-written and compelling op-ed by Daniel Hall in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Alumnus; Senior Counsel, Proctor & Gamble Co., Cincinnati OH
Melissa Cox: I had Dr Gladish for an instructor during his first years at Miami. He was in the top 5 best professors I had. This is a serious travesty of events.Registered Nurse, Hamilton OH
Desiree Skimore: Bring them back, save their jobs!
Anna Cooley: Dr. Gladish was amazing as my professor. I was terrified of all things biology-related and he not only eased my anxieties, he taught me how to understand them. He was more than just a professor to me. The conservatory was always my go-to place when I needed an escape between classes, too. I loved that moment of tropical steam coming at me when I walked in. I would feel transported. To take his hard work and throw it away over something like this is shameful. Give Dr. Gladish a better sendoff than an ultimatum.
Marjorie Test: As an alum, I am appalled at this disproportionately harsh overreaction. If this is what the university now wants to be known for, I fear for its academic future. Please reconsider, for the best interests of the entire MU community.
Daniel Nickrent: When I read this, my first reaction was “you’ve got to be kidding?” Come on Miami Administration – get informed before you leap to conclusions and mess with the lives of these faculty members! Miami PhD Alumnus; Emeritus Prof. of of Plant Biology
Sarah Owens: As a graduate of Miami’s Botany Department I am deeply disappointed in the University’s unjust decision.Alumna, Technical Director, Environmental Sample Preparation and Sequencing Facility, Argonne National Laboratory
Paige Pearson: As a 2019 graduate from Miami University, I say shame! I had both of these professors in different classes and their commitment to student learning and the university was admirable.
Kevin Dahling: Your actions against these people is absurd. You went way overboard for a specimen plant. So much to say, so little space to say my disagreement. What’s next? Remove all junipers from campus because the students could take the fruits off and make gin? Drop this silly case, rehire everyone and move on!! Kevin Dahling, class of 1997
Elizabeth Prince: As a former student of Dr. Cinnamon almost 20 years ago, this is terribly disturbing to think that my alma mater, Miami University, could be so unreasonable and rigid. There aren’t many teachers whose classes and work altered the course of your life in a positive way. However, I can say without hesitation that the course I took with Dr. Cinnamon changed the way I see the world, differing cultures and helped me understanding varying perspectives. It helped set the course for my life’s work. Miami University’s lack of interest in hearing or considering varying perspectives in this case is appalling. As we all make unintended mistakes, it is my hope Miami officials will take a look at their mistake and correct it instead of holding tight to a position that will cause terribly undue hardships on individuals who have dedicated their life’s work the university and its students.Alumna
Brandon Stapleton: These two were a shining point of my time at Miami university.
Sarah Martin: As a Miami grad, class of 2013, I am both embarrassed by and ashamed of Miami’s unfair punishment of these wonderful professors. Please do the right thing and reverse this decision. Sincerely, Sarah
Sheri Nutall: As an alumni, due to this incident, I am embarrassed to claim Miami as the institution where I earned two degrees.
Stephanie (Beaver) McDougal: The university’s behavior in this case, as reported, is reprehensible. This makes me ashamed to be an alumna of Miami University. Reverse this decision, Miami.
Suellyn Shupe: Not sure what the administrator was trying to ‘prove’ by this heavy-handed response to something that injured NO ONE. She does this and then retires and will not have to deal with the fall-out? Miami University has to deal with many issues that are severely impacting the lives of students, faculty and our public reputation…. this should not have been one of them. Please undo it. I am a 1991 graduate of Miami who studied primarily at the Middletown branch.
Tari Sasser: I had Dan as a professor. He is a wonderful person and very dedicated and passionate professor. What the hell is the provost smoking!!!
Laura Tranovich: You are an amazing professor and don’t let them bring you down!!! Stay strong Gladish!!
Wendy Braddock: I am a 1975 graduate of Miami, a fact I have always been proud of, until now. The actions taken against esteemed educators over the iboga situation are cruel and unfair. Please take a step back and think!
Stephanie Zimsen: I have a Masters’ in Zoology from Miami. Given my professors’ universal dedication to the highest standards in evidence-based environmental education, I am stunned by the unprofessional decision to terminate my professors and senior professional staff. The pretext for the dismissals is laughable. This decision runs counter to both accepted botanical practice and *minimal* academic standards. Not one of the three has done anything wrong with respect to the plant that is the ostensible reason for termination. Revoking tenure over such nonsense is indefensible. Miami looks ridiculously amateurish here. In addition to pointlessly destroying three worthy careers, terminating these dedicated educators devalues my master’s degree. I object. Restore Miami’s (previously rightful) strong reputation in education. Reverse the unjust decision to terminate the conservatory manager and tenured professors Drs. Gladish and Cinnamon.
Stephanie Zimsen
Data Extraction Specialist
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation University of Washington 2
Laura Weingartner: I am an alum from the Department of Botany. I worked at this Conservatory. I took courses from both of these professors. This was a missed opportunity to clarify policies about the plant collection, and the result is disappointment and embarrassment for our university.
Marilyn Mills: My two daughters went to Miami U, and I was disappointed in Miami when I read the original article about this. Now, after reading Professor Daniel Hall’s op-ed explaining the whole story, I am appalled at Miami’s actions. It is shameful.
Walter Kaeff: Your actions are indecent. Grow up. Miami is on top of my daughter’s list of potential schools. This is enough for me to persuade her against the university.
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