In an administration beset by faculty discontent, mathematics professor and department chair David Massey’s suspension reignites a fuse that was lit last September when Faculty Senate expressed concern about being marginalized in university decision-making.

Massey’s suspension is clearly unpopular among students and faculty, and it illuminates an issue the university has been grappling with all year: a lack of communication with the Northeastern community. The administration can’t disclose the case’s specific circumstances, but it can improve in addressing concerns about a professor that is well-liked and respected.

Unfortunately, the damage has already been done. Massey’s suspension has led faculty members to question the university’s methods, arguing they weren’t notified about the case. A math student circulated a petition that has garnered almost 700 signatures in support of Massey. Student and faculty morale has nose-dived and there are concerns about whether the administration followed procedure and gave Massey due process during the investigation.

This case echoes the secrecy Northeastern officials have embraced in the past, including last year’s search for a new provost and the months-long speculation about whether the football team would be cut. Consistently, the university has chosen to act without dialogue, and have sowed the seeds of discontent.

Now that officials are reaping the consequences, the need for candor increases.

President Joseph Aoun continually speaks about the importance of globalization. But the movement requires openness, and cases like Massey’s prove counter-intuitive to that goal. If the university wants to truly embrace a globalized 21st century view of the world, it can’t keep repeating history.