Graduate student David Wanaselja begged Student Government Association (SGA) members Wednesday night to “push back” against impropriety in the Wichita State administration after taking offense to WSU President Richard Muma introducing the school’s required sexual harassment training. 

Muma, along with several other university administrators, was sued in a 2021 suit for allegedly having knowledge of “harassment, discrimination and retaliation.”

Wanaselja, a creative writing graduate student, said that WSU administration must be “above suspicion.” He cited a Caesarean story about the Roman emperor who divorced his wife after being found with another man, despite no evidence of infidelity.

“Ironic, isn’t it? That the woman was punished for the transgressions and insecurities of these men,” Wanaselja said. “Caesar made a good point, however: those in power have a responsibility to not only avoid impropriety but to avoid the very appearance of impropriety. It’s a shame that our president isn’t here this evening.”

In 2021, Karen Countryman-Roswurm, a former associate professor of social work at WSU, filed a federal lawsuit against Wichita State for “years of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.” Countryman-Roswurm also accused Muma, among other WSU staff, of “evil motive or reckless indifference” to her claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and defamation of character.

The U.S. Court of Appeals later granted Muma qualified immunity from the civil rights suit, finding that Muma did not have a duty to intervene in Countryman-Roswurm’s mistreatment during the investigation of her claims.

Wanaselja said he was offended to see Muma speak in the introduction of the university-mandated sexual harassment training. Wanaselja compared Muma’s segment to Donald Trump giving a presentation to reassure Sedgwick County voters that voting is safe and reliable.
“No matter how safe the voting actually was … the very fact that (the presentation) is introduced by someone who brings the taint of impropriety will dramatically lessen its effectiveness,” Wanaselja said.

He referred to Muma’s appearance in the training video as “gaslighting,” stating that the sexual harassment training and Muma’s involvement “aren’t to protect us; they are to protect them.”

“The university leadership cares about three things: preserving the status quo, taking your money and making sure all the boxes are ticked to keep them on top,” Wanaselja said.

On behalf of the university, Courtney McHenry, the associate vice president of the Office of Civil Rights, Title IX and ADA Compliance (CTAC), said that Wanaselja’s viewpoints would be “considered for future trainings.” CTAC is responsible for administering sexual harassment training.

“University leadership at all levels, including the president, is committed to ensuring a safe environment for all students, employees and guests that is free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation,” Lainie Mazzullo, the director of communications, said in an email to The Sunflower on behalf of McHenry.

Wanaselja pleaded with SGA senators to fight back against authority figures in the university who, contrary to McHenry’s statement, are not innocent of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. He encouraged senators not to excuse the actions of the administration which are “draining us dry, gaslighting us, and telling us to be thankful for it.”

“Because at the end, we’ll take home a piece of paper with their (university administration’s) name signed to it,” Wanaselja said. “I don’t know about you, but I want those signatures to be untainted by impropriety, and the institution that grants my degree to be above suspicion. Unfortunately, as of now, it is not.”