A date has not yet been set for continuing the hearing in Assistant Professor of Neuroscience David Holtzman's request for a preliminary injunction.

On Oct. 31, defendants President Nancy Dye and Acting Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Clayton Koppes took the stand, undergoing about three hours of questioning in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.

In Judge Solomon Oliver Jr.'s courtroom, all parties directly involved in the case were present, including the lawyers for the College and Holtzman.

A preliminary injunction would enable Holtzman to resume teaching duties. He continues conducting research at Oberlin on paid leave, awaiting the outcome of an investigation conducted by the Professional Conduct Review Committee. He is prohibited from having contact with students.

Holtzman's course load for the semester was canceled after complaints of alleged inappropriate sexual conversation, inappropriate physical misconduct and drug use filed by students and faculty were reviewed by the College Faculty Council and General Faculty Council.

In September, Holtzman filed a $1 million federal discrimination lawsuit against Dye, Koppes, former Acting Dean of the College James Helm and Neuroscience Program Director Catherine McCormick, charging that he was denied equal treatment as an Oberlin College employee because he is Hispanic-American.

Of the first day of questioning, Dye said, "I think it went well."

Director of Communications Al Moran said, "I'd much prefer to talk to reporters about faculty members like Tom Van Nortwick [winner of the 1996 Northern Ohio Outreach Award and professor of classics] than about issues like the one we're facing in court now."

Holtzman did not return messages left in his office on Thursday.

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