Steve Corich Police Officer

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  My case is almost as bad as this but they refuse to answer any of my e-mails or even talk to me about it. http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/115854

May 8, 2008 - 9:17PM

PVCC moves to fire professor over relationship

Mike Sakal, Tribune

Efforts began Thursday to fire a Paradise Valley Community College professor for having an inappropriate relationship with a female student who administrators suspect died of a drug overdose.

PVCC President Mary Kathryn Kickels recommended to Maricopa County Community College District Chancellor Rufus Glasper that psychology professor Michael Todd be terminated from his job for the alleged relationship.

College officials delivered a letter to Todd's Phoenix residence on Thursday informing him of his pending termination.

In a statement, Glasper said that Todd, 51, a professor at the college since 2000, had violated the district's policy prohibiting "amorous relationships" and violated professional standards.

Andria Ziegler, 19, a freshman and one of Todd's students for the last two semesters, was discovered in a comatose state in Todd's home by paramedics about 2:30 a.m. April 20.

She was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later at John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital, according to Phoenix police.

In the letter delivered to Todd's residence, Glasper stated that an investigation showed there is reason to believe that Ziegler was reported to be at his residence on April 15 and late on April 19 and into the early morning hours of the next day.

When Todd called paramedics to his house to report the apparent drug overdose, he denied knowing Ziegler and failed to provide any item of her identification, according to Glasper's letter.

Todd also failed to notify his supervisors of the incident, the letter said.

Ziegler's cause of death is pending completion of toxicology reports, according to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office.

Phoenix police said Thursday they are investigating the incident as an unknown death.

Todd is not a suspect in Ziegler's death, and no suspects are being pursued in her death, according to Phoenix police Detective Stacie Derge.

Neither Todd nor his attorney could not be reached for comment.

Todd was placed on paid administrative leave by the college on April 22 after Ziegler's parents, Doug and Kimberly McManus of Phoenix, called college administrators to inform them of their daughter's death.

Todd has five days to appeal his pending termination, according to MCCCD spokeswoman Chris Chesrown. If he does so, he can request a hearing before the MCCCD governing board.

Todd's nine-month salary with the college was $70,785.


http://www.azcentral.com/community/northvalley/articles/2008/05/09/20080509prof0509.html

Professor rebuked in death of student

Educator faces termination for questionable actions

by Erin Kozak - May. 9, 2008 12:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

A community-college professor faces termination in connection with accusations that he carried on a romantic relationship with a 19-year-old student and tried to hide her identity from authorities after she ended up unconscious April 20 at his north Phoenix condo.

The student was pronounced dead later at a hospital. Her death is being investigated as an apparent drug overdose, although authorities are awaiting toxicology and autopsy findings.

The chancellor of the Maricopa County Community College District on Thursday recommended that Michael Todd, a 51-year-old psychology professor at Paradise Valley Community College, be terminated for violating the district's "amorous relationships" regulation. In a letter to Todd notifying him of the district's intent, Chancellor Rufus Glasper accuses Todd of violating "professional standards that MCCCD has a right to expect its faculty to uphold."

The letter marked the first time that Todd has been accused of trying to keep authorities from learning the identity of the student, Andria Ziegler.

Glasper charged in his letter that Todd, who dialed 911 to summon aid for Ziegler, denied knowing Ziegler and failed to provide emergency personnel with any of her belongings, including her purse, wallet and cellphone, that would have revealed who she was.

Todd was placed on administrative leave April 22 pending an inquiry.

The letter said Todd had an inappropriate relationship with Ziegler, who was enrolled in one of his spring-semester classes. The letter also said Todd failed to notify his superiors of Ziegler's death and, in the following days, left telephone messages with the psychology department saying he would not be able to teach and would need a substitute.

Todd has five days to request a hearing to challenge the termination.

If he does not request a hearing, the firing will proceed and take effect on June 10, said Chris Chesrown, a spokeswoman for the chancellor's office.

Todd has not been arrested or charged in the case.

A document provided by a private eye working for the Ziegler family indicates that in 2002 Todd was investigated after a discrimination complaint was filed with Paradise Valley Community College.

Ziegler's father, Doug McManus, said the college is finally admitting guilt in this situation.

"It's too little, too late for my daughter," McManus said. "If they had done this in 2002, my daughter would still be alive."

The letter, written by former PVCC President Gina Kranitz, noted that while the investigation could not confirm that discrimination had occurred, Todd was to complete an online sexual-harassment class.

 
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