Lehigh University students say they've never seen professor Beth Gallant shy away from standing up for what she believes.

And that's why they want to do the same thing.

The professor of practice, who graduated from Lehigh in 1986 and has taught there for 11 years, said she fears she won't be back to teach in the fall and believes it's because she has raised issues with the university administration about practices she believes are discriminatory toward female faculty.

Students worried that the school's administration won't be renewing the marketing professor's contract have started an online petition to show their support. So far, the petition has garnered 391 signatures and almost 100 comments and testimonials from students.

"She has always stood up for every single student who went to her for help," said 22-year-old senior David Canfield, of Erdenhein, Pa. "We want to do the same."

Lehigh denies any discriminatory action, according to spokesman Jordan Reese.

Professor files complaint



Lehigh University maintains that Gallant's position with the university has not been determined. The reappointment process for 17 of the university's 52 professors of practice and lecturers is underway, Reese said. The process includes evaluation of the faculty member's entire range of responsibilities and expectations at the school, according to Reese.

Final decisions aren't expected until April, he said.

But Gallant said the indications she has seen have led her to believe her days with the university are numbered. She said she has turned students down who asked her to be an adviser because she doesn't think she'll be back, based on her evaluations and the fact that she's not listed among fall faculty.

"I've watched countless other women leave in silence," said Gallant, who said she's filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in July about her concerns with female faculty being treated differently than their male counterparts. "I feel like it's time for change. If I don't speak up, nothing will change."

The EEOC would not confirm or deny pending complaints. Gallant, who has also obtained an attorney, said she's not yet heard back from the commission on its findings. Gallant declined to go into specifics about her complaints with Lehigh, citing potential legal action in the future. She did say she finds the college fails to enforce rules and policies in a gender-neutral fashion and has imposed work rules on her that were not imposed on male colleagues.

Gallant's criticisms come as the university undergoes an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights regarding how the college has handled issues of racial hostility on campus in the wake of vandalism at a multicultural dormitory in November.

Concerns not addressed, professor claims

According to university statistics, 30 percent of Lehigh's full-time faculty is female. In the marketing department, where Gallant teaches, that figure rises to about 50 percent.

Gallant said that for the past several years, she has reported incidents to administrators when she felt female faculty are being treated differently than men but said she does not believe her complaints were taken seriously or addressed.

"They brushed them under the rug," she said. "Similar to the students' concerns — they've ignored them."

Gallant said she's heard from other female faculty members who have told her they've experienced similar issues.

"Ethically, I knew this was the right thing to do. I have two daughters and I want them to know you have to stand up for yourself," she said.

When Gallant's contract was up about four years ago, she said, students rallied around her with a similar petition after a man was offered a job she was never made aware of.

The support from students now, as then, has been overwhelming, according to Gallant.

"It brings tears to my eyes," she said. "I've cried. It's gratifying because I realize I do have an impact."

Students say Gallant more than teacher

Justin Mahoney, 20, said he sat near Gallant at a university awards banquet early in his college career and was convinced to pursue marketing after a night of talking with the professor. Ever since, the junior said, Gallant has been a valuable teacher and mentor.

"She goes beyond her job title all the time," Mahoney said.

An example is Samantha Elgort, 20, who recounted how Gallant has helped her find a dentist to get her wisdom teeth removed.

"From the minute I met her, I knew she would be my mentor for the next four years. She has only continued to impress me," Elgort wrote in an email from Madrid, where she is currently studying. "Both her professional advice as well as personal have made me grow exponentially at Lehigh."

Canfield recalls how Gallant's classes, always full of discussions, also manage to include students who don't normally participate. The fact that she has experience in the marketing field changes the classroom dynamic, he said.

"Although she is one of the hardest teachers for the subject, she is also the most passionate," he said. "I don't know how many departments have one person so many people can cite as the reason they got a job."

Mahoney said he hopes Lehigh will consider the students' wishes in making their decision.

"We're the ones paying $43,000 in tuition," he said. "We should have a say in who leaves and who stays."

Canfield said Gallant was also among the loudest professors to express dismay about the November vandalism at the Umoja House — a crime that remains unsolved.

"I remember her being one of the most outraged people on campus," he said. "Even if we aren't successful (with the petition), it still raises all these issues the university fails to acknowledge. In doing that, I think it will make Lehigh a better place. If anyone can take it, it's her, because she's one of the most strong-willed professors I have ever known."