University of Toledo official fired over column

Letter from UT President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs to Ms. Dixon announcing her termination" rel="storyimage1" title="University-of-Toledo-official-fired-over-column.jpg"/>
Dixon <br> <img src=http://www.toledoblade.com/assets/gif/TO17150419.GIF> <font color=red><b> VIEW:</b></font><a href=" /assets/pdf/TO45760512.PDF" target="_blank"><b> Letter from UT President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs to Ms. Dixon announcing her termination</b></a>

The University of Toledo confirmed yesterday that an administrator who wrote a column critical of gay rights for a local publication has been fired.

Crystal Dixon, associate vice president for human resources, was terminated on Thursday following about a week on paid administrative leave and a predisciplinary meeting May 5.

Ms. Dixon wrote a guest column last month for the Toledo Free Press titled "Gay rights and wrongs: another perspective," expressing her opinion that being gay is a choice that has consequences, according to her religious beliefs.

The column was in response to one written by editor-in-chief Michael Miller a couple weeks earlier, "Gay rights and wrongs," which said Ohio lags in gay rights.

That exchange prompted UT President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs to write his own column for the publication distancing Ms. Dixon's views from those of the university.

A letter to Ms. Dixon informing her of her termination, stated "The public position you have taken in the Toledo Free Press is in direct contradiction to university policies and procedures as well as the core values of the strategic plan which is mission critical."

It went on to say her position calls into question her ability to continue in her role as an administrator in charge of personnel actions and decisions and that "the result is a loss of confidence in you as an administrator."

A call to Ms. Dixon was not returned yesterday.

Tom Sobecki, an attorney representing her, said, "We're very disappointed by the university's action" and that a lawsuit is being considered.

A news conference and support rally for Ms. Dixon is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the End Time Christian Fellowship, 2902 Auburn Ave., of which she is a member.

Ms. Dixon was hired at the then-Medical College of Ohio on Jan. 7, 2002, as administrative director of employee relations.

She held several positions between then and her July, 2006, promotion to associate vice president for human resources. She was paid a salary of $134,383 at the time of her termination.