Students Continue to Demand Answers About Melissa “Missy” Martz

Melissa “Missy” Martz, an employee of Frostburg State University and the subject of two recent publications in this newspaper, has been the topic of controversy over the last month. According to Martz’ LinkedIn, she has been an employee of the university since November 2000 and has worked as a graphic designer and social media coordinator for the campus. She graduated from FSU in 1995.

The first of two publications, a statement from the Executive Staff of The Bottom Line, wrote that Martz would be removed as advisor for the newspaper after social media posts made by Martz indicated that violence against peaceful protesters in Bedford, Pennsylvania was justified. The second publication, a Letter to the Editor from an anonymous student, indicated that Martz had sexually harassed them because of their transgender identity.

On Aug. 27, after the first allegation against Martz came to light, FSU President Ronald H. Nowaczyk responded via campus-wide email to say that he and Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Artie Lee Travis supported TBL’s decision to remove Martz as an advisor, but stopped short of indicating her future employment status with the university.

Following these revelations, FSU students began to mobilize actions in protest. One action, a petition that seeks to have Melissa “Missy” Martz removed as an employee of Frostburg State University, has reached over 320 signatures. Other students created signs and carried them in protest during the Black Lives Matter vigil held on Sept. 3. One sign read, “Arlene Cash > Missy Martz.” Arlene Cash, the former Vice President for Enrollment Management, and a Black woman, was a beloved figure among students who were angered by her firing just prior to the start of the semester. Nowaczyk has insisted that Cash’s removal was not related to race.

In apparent response to these actions, Travis appeared to allude to Martz during his remarks before the Student Government Association on Sept. 10. He told SGA, “I certainly understand that there is some angst about some employment actions that students have been asking about. Please, I have to give you the administrative response; ’employment actions are personnel matters that are private matters,’ but again, certainly I want to say that, as I told The Bottom Line, I certainly support some of the actions they’ve made as of late. And again, employment actions are that.”

TBL has twice reached out, on Sept. 11 and 15, to Travis seeking clarification and elaboration of which employee he was referring to. As of press time, Travis has not responded to either request.

Nonetheless, students continue to demand answers about Martz’ employment with the university. During a virtual coffee chat with Nowaczyk and other members of the administration held on Sept. 22, a student asked a question about Martz’ employment status. Nowaczyk responded to say that the issue “was addressed” and that Human Resources has “followed-up and looked through the [sexual harassment] complaint, but this is a personnel issue.” Nowaczyk says that FSU is bound by American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employee Union guidelines. 

These assurances are not enough for those who see Martz as an adversary of social progress. One student, a Senior who studies political science and asked to remain anonymous, said, “Missy has demonstrated just how dangerous she is, both in person and online. It baffles me why FSU doesn’t understand how worrisome this is… I wonder if their inaction shows just how little the administration cares about what students care about.”