On August 2nd, I tweeted my condolences to VQR when I learned about the suicide of their Managing Editor, Kevin Morrissey. But now, as more information has been revealed by the Chronicle of Higher Education, it appears that Morrissey had been making complaints to HR about bullying in the workplace by his boss, Ted Genoways.
Genoways denies the allegations:
“His long history of depression caused him trouble throughout his career,” Mr. Genoways wrote in a statement to The Chronicle, “leading often to conflicts with his bosses.”
Literary journals rarely rise to the level of this Shakespearean tragedy, and it’s such a shame that it has to happen at such a prestigious journal.
Obviously people on the outside will have to wait for more information before making judgments, but here’s the two major situations that constituted the “bullying”:
- The Chronicle reports on screaming behind closed doors and Genoways shutting Morrissey out of decisions.
- There were two emails in the final week — one in which Genoways disciplined Morrissey for potentially alienating the daughter of a major VQR contributor, and one in which Genoways criticized Morrissey for leaving a writer in the field without help.
I have a hard time believing that this “bullying” could have constituted such a high degree of persecution that it would lead an otherwise healthy individual to commit suicide. What was called “bullying” seems quite germane to many workplaces. And when a forceful personality clashes with a fragile one, one gets broken. I have yet to see assertions that Genoways stepped over the line, but unfortunately, in the media hubbub, scapegoats are often sacrificed even despite their innocence.
I’d like to avoid two sacrifices: the funding of the journal and Genoways’ position. Both need to remain, which requires administrators to have long-term wisdom rather than bowing to short-term media pressure.
UPDATE: Genoways has retained a lawyer and claimed he’s not responsible.
UPDATE: Good comments section at cvillenews.
UPDATE: A Workplace Bullying firm says that UVa has a history of being soft on workplace bullies.
UPDATE: The Hook offers the first full-length investigative journalism article after the Chronicle.
UPDATE: This is blowing up. The Today Show ran a video segment yesterday.
One thought on “Kevin Morrissey Suicide Embroils VQR in Controversy”
Interesting. When oil companies rush forward madly and myopically for profit and power, leaving a trail of dead bodies in their wake we call it evil, corporate greed. When “poetry” magazine editors do it, we call it “shakespearean tragedy”. Enjoy the profits, Galoways. (No doubt, you’re already making a book deal.But who will be low enough to read it?)
P.S. The fact-checker on this article should go back and check the claim that these men “became friends” in 2000. (Hint: It is not the date that is suspect.)