ELLENSBURG -- A pair of Central Washington University professors told Action news they're part of a group who claim they were retaliated against by managers and then ignored by higher-ups who allegedly knew about the allegations.

In fact, the accusations of favoritism, retaliation and hostility by department heads were brought to the attention of Central officials three years ago.

"It feel on deaf ears it seems to me," said professor Robert Perkins, who claims the group who filed the complaints were simply ignored.

But the university had no idea the state auditor would get wind of the allegations, and send a letter advising officials to take the issues seriously.

The state auditor said in his letter the office is not, however, investigating Central because the issues are outside of its jurisdiction.

When KIMA asked Central officials about the letter last week, faculty president Bob Hickey said he believed the university had already resolved this issue.

"The issue is still alive, it still exists and is not resolved," argued a professor who said she wouldn't show her face or give her name because the issues still exist. "I'm afraid of retaliation."

The professors told Action News a handful of faculty complained to the dean about management at the Department of Information Technology and Administrative Management.

Instead of a resolution, the professors claim they were transferred to other departments, and three years later Perkins said there's still no real resolution to the original issues.

"I'm now teaching courses that i haven't really taught before," said Perkins.

"And that leadership continues today, so the problems have not gone away," the unnamed professor said.

Part of the problem, Perkins said, is that they must go through the dean to get to other higher-ups in the university about the complaints.

So far they say they've never spoken to top officials.

But that may change, as KIMA spoke to the professors Wednesday, they got a message that officials wanted to hold a meeting with them.

"And I think the main reason is because of your story, so I think you've had a major impact, people are speaking," Perkins told Action News.

The university's provost called KIMA and said, in light of the latest allegations, he would give faculty the opportunity to recommend how to move forward. He also said he was surprised the auditor had sent a letter to the university based on allegations alone.

Perkins believes Central could handle this situation better if they hired an outside auditor to look into the allegations

"It's so sad that many of us have gone through two deans a and provost and had multiple meetings...and there has been no resolution,
the unnamed professor said, adding that the university's administration has always told the professors "they'll work on it."