Miami-Dade public defender: UM must clarify that respected law-school dean did nothing wrong | Opinion
I am a University of Miami School of Law graduate of 1990, a member of Iron Arrow Honor Society and employ UM Law School graduates. As Miami-Dade’s public defender, I have hired more than 100 UM Law graduates in the past 12 years.
The termination of Law School Dean Anthony E. Varona and the manner in which it was done are appalling. Many others have also expressed their outrage about this process.
Varona is highly qualified, talented and admired. My concern is for the impact to Varona’s reputation as a result of how this was handled. The UM email announcing Varona’s termination was shocking.
Yet the publicly distributed email has left an unfair and undeserved stain on Varona’s personal and professional reputation.
Did the university think the legal community would be silent after firing a popular dean who was still new in his role?
Any harm to UM and its School of Law is a direct consequence of the firing itself, not from alumni, faculty and students speaking out.
While we do not know what went on behind the scenes, the public rationale was pretextual, and the way the firing was carried out seems intended to humiliate Varona and tarnish his professional reputation. It was inconsistent with what we know about UM President Julio Frenk and his prior university-wide communications.
We are left to speculate whether this is another example of a university’s leadership acquiescing to the whims of wealthy donors.
The stated reasons given for the termination: U.S. News & World Report rankings, low bar passage rate, fundraising and vision are disproved by the facts.
Improving Florida Bar pass rates and rankings takes longer than two years. From day one, Varona has been implementing initiatives to increase the bar passage rate and its ranking in U.S. News & World Report.
Reputational ratings, student selectivity and nine of the specialty ranks are several key U.S. News rankings metrics that improved under Varona.
Raising $8 million during the pandemic was no small feat.
Varona clearly and repeatedly articulated his vision in numerous meetings with alumni, faculty and stakeholders. His unprecedented outreach to alumni built a foundation of goodwill and gave us a sense of direction we had not previously seen. To expect the vision to be implemented in less than two years when he was given a five-year term, at best, is disingenuous.
Varona’s record in just under two years was that of a successful dean. He deserves appreciation, not termination.
Last summer, law students were facing the double threat of taking an online bar exam — rescheduled twice — and the severe COVID-19 economic downturn.
Varona was relentless in his efforts to find student summer placement and, in establishing an emergency fund to help students during the pandemic. I know because he contacted me and other employers seeking opportunities for his students.
It is clear that UM will not reinstate Varona. If the recent meetings with alumni and faculty were intended to placate faculty, alumni and students concerned about the damage to UM, the law school and Varona, they have failed.
Those meetings have eroded trust and further alienated supporters of Varona and UM Law.
Varona was the overwhelming choice of faculty, students and alumni less than two years ago. Now, administration’s purported offer of more transparency and consultation in the selection of a new dean seems an empty gesture.
We all had seats at the table when Varona was selected, or so we thought. What good did all the community support do when it came down to getting rid of the dean?
UM must correct the record. It is the bare minimum the university can do to begin restoring the respect of the faculty, alumni, students and the public for our great institution.
Carlos J. Martinez is a UM law graduate and Miami-Dade’s public defender.
