“University of Massachusetts Nursing Dean Fired After Saying ‘Everyone’s Life Matters'”

One document provided to Campus Reform was allegedly written by Neal-Boylan and sent to Provost Julie Nash. The letter, dated June 19, begins, “As you know, I was fired from my position as dean in the Solomont School of Nursing…” The author claims that an exit interview was requested, but not granted.

“It is important to point out that no one ever gave me an opportunity to share my views of how the college and school were interacting nor explain myself regarding the BLM email. My meeting with you, [Dean] Shortie [McKinney], and Lauren Turner was clearly not intended to give me an opportunity to defend my actions. I was condemned without trial,” the letter obtained by Campus Reform reads.

McKinney did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Campus Reform.

Another document provided to Campus Reform, dated June 16, is addressed to UML Chancellor Jacqueline Moloney and Provost Joseph Hartman. That letter states, in part,  “It seems clear that College Dean McKinney used my email regarding Black Lives Matter (BLM) as rationale to fire me. This is attributable to one phrase in my initial email that otherwise was very clearly a message to NOT discriminate against anyone…It is clear that Dean McKinney used this as an excuse because my performance as dean has otherwise been without fault and has, in fact, strengthened the SSON. You might be interested to know that I have NEVER (in a 40 year career) been accused of racism.”

The same letter went on to list 13 “accomplishments” from the “past 10 months.”

Campus Reform spoke with one faculty member who asked to remain anonymous. The source said the faculty was “totally dismayed” and “completely floored” by Neal-Boylan’s termination. It was allegedly determined that her firing was not due to performance, the source said.

“The Dean of the College of Health Sciences, Shortie Mckinney, had a meeting the day after [the incident], a town meeting… People wanted to know why [she was fired], and what was confirmed is it wasn’t a performance issue,” the source told Campus Reform.

The employee said that the faculty discovered the backlash against Neal-Boylan on Twitter and “put two-and-two together,” determining the reason behind her firing, adding that it was not performance-based.

“After some investigation, we found the [tweets], and some of the comments that were posted, and put two-and-two together,” the source said. “She [Neal-Boylan] was a wonderful woman…. When she came on board, it was like a ray of sunshine.”