Marching band, compliance office employee files show inconsistent reviews

Liz Young
Wed, 08 Oct 2014 03:58:31 +0000
Campus, News, compliance officer, marching band, ohio state, osu, performance review

Left to right: Gates Garrity-Rokous, Christopher Hoch, Michael Smith
Credit: Courtesy of OSU

While Ohio State policy states all employees must receive a performance review annually, an OSU spokesman said in the spring that written reviews are one part of the process.

But inconsistencies when it comes to performance reviews were apparent in the employment files of some marching band and compliance office employees, one of whom received a bonus without a written review in his file.

OSU’s chief compliance officer received a $78,000 bonus this year without a written performance review. And the employment file of the assistant band director under former marching band director Jonathan Waters didn’t include a performance review either, while the file of the associate band director did.

According to an OSU human resources performance review policy, “all employees must receive a performance review at least once a year.”

University spokesman Gary Lewis said during Spring Semester that written reviews are one component of evaluating employee performance at OSU.

“Although it is required for all employees to receive reviews, performance management at Ohio State also involves a continuous process of feedback and mentoring, which includes verbal and written reviews,” Lewis said in an email. “All elements of performance review, verbal and written, are key inputs in determining compensation.”

He said, though, because the university was in a period of transition between presidents, the performance review process was adjusted.

“This year’s process for performance reviews of senior leaders was one in transition. Because every senior leader participates in the ongoing, annual review process, all leaders expect to receive helpful coaching and feedback. The university remains committed to a constructive review process that helps us achieve our institutional goals and provides every employee with the tools to excel in his or her professional objectives,” he said.

Employment file of chief compliance officer

Vice president and chief compliance officer Gates Garrity-Rokous earned a $397,800 base salary for fiscal year 2014 — which included a 2 percent raise.

He also received a 20 percent bonus, worth $78,000, according to his employment file, which was provided Tuesday after The Lantern requested it in mid-August. The page about his bonus in that file notes that his “target is 20 percent; max of 25 percent for achieving significant performance beyond established targets.”

He was hired in September 2012.?

Garrity-Rokous deferred requests for comment to OSU spokesmen Gary Lewis and Chris Davey, who did not respond to the initial email that asked Garrity-Rokous for comment about his receiving a bonus without a written review in his employment file.

His file did not include a written performance review outside of a self-evaluation and goal-setting document. When asked where his review was, Lauren Lubow, director of the OSU public records office, said in an email Garrity-Rokous “had an oral review based on the self-evaluation and goal-setting document, so there are no additional records of his review.”

Davey said Tuesday evening that he will look into who conducted that oral review and when. He was still looking into those questions as of Wednesday evening.

The Lantern requested Garrity-Rokous’ file after former Title IX coordinator Andrea Goldblum said she took issue with the way some business in the compliance office was handled. She expressed those concerns after a new Title IX coordinator was hired, shortly before former marching band director Jonathan Waters was fired as a result of an OSU investigation conducted by the compliance office.?

That investigation found the marching band contained a sexualized culture that the former director was either aware of or reasonably should have been aware of, and was led by one of Garrity-Rokous’ subordinates in the compliance office, Chris Glaros. The Lantern requested Glaros’ employment file Wednesday.

Goldblum’s formal complaint about gender and disability discrimination in the compliance office — obtained by The Lantern in late August — and its ensuing investigation in April found that there was insufficient evidence to support her claims. The investigation did, however, find that Garrity-Rokous had asked subordinates to run errands for him and drive him to meetings. Those practices stopped after an employee told him they were inappropriate. He also apologized.

That investigation report into Goldblum’s claims was not included within his employment file. Davey said Tuesday he would look into why it was left out and was still looking into that question as of Wednesday evening.

Employment files of associate, assistant band directors

Christopher Hoch, the associate marching band director, was hired by OSU in July 2012, while Michael Smith, the assistant band director, was hired by the university in September 2012. But Smith’s employment file did not contain any reviews, while Hoch’s contained a 2013-14 review conducted by Waters.

Those files were provided Tuesday after having been requested July 25.

Smith appears to have started as assistant director of the band in August 2013, when he earned a $50,000 salary, though the previous year he also worked with the band as a lecturer.

Hoch earned $60,000 in 2013, up from earning $45,000 as an assistant director the year before.

Waters’ review of Hoch was not particularly complimentary — Waters said Hoch achieved expectations (of five possible choices, “achieves expectations” is in the middle) in four of five categories and fell below expectations in the final category, leadership.

“I would like for Chris to be more collaborative with respect to halftime show duties. In the past, this activity has been more competitive than what I would like. In addition, I need for Chris to be more fully engaged and collaborative with all staff, including student staff,” Waters wrote in one category.

Waters also noted that Hoch had seemed resistant to the band using iPads, a practice implemented in part to save the band printing costs and one that helped lead to halftime shows that went viral.

Waters wrote that Hoch needed to take a “lead role” on the band’s efforts to “evolve and embrace innovation.”

“I suggest that Chris review his job description and attempt to operationalize each of the duties,” Waters wrote. “With the majority of the band staff being student employees, the organization needs its full-time staff to be engaged in every element.”

Lubow said Tuesday after business hours that she was checking on why no reviews were included for Smith. She did not respond to a Wednesday email requesting an update.

Waters was fired July 24. Since his dismissal, Waters and his attorney have made multiple public appearances and submitted a letter asking OSU to consider rehiring him. President Michael Drake and the Board of Trustees, however, have declined to reconsider his case.

Waters announced Sept. 26 that he plans to sue the university for a minimum of $1 million in compensatory damages. He will also seek punitive damages, attorney fees and reinstatement. His lawsuit claims he was not given due process following the initial cultural investigation. It also says he was discriminated against on the basis of gender.