College of Communication journalism faculty are pushing for a broader investigation into the conduct of Dean John Schulz, including possible allegations that he intimidated and threatened faculty members, according to an email sent Wednesday from department chair Robert Zelnick to Boston University Provost David Campbell. This is the first time it has been suggested that an investigation would look at issues beyond errors in the dean’s resume, which were brought to light in a Boston Globe article last week.

The email, obtained by The Daily Free Press, was a response to a letter from the provost to COM faculty suggesting that only a limited inquiry into Schulz’s behavior would take place. Zelnick wrote that he was “shocked” by the limited scope, saying that the approach “unintentionally omits mention of a highly relevant occurrence.” Zelnick wrote that instances of “public bullying, inappropriate threats or other conduct” would have to be left out to follow the provost’s guidelines.

The dean himself, Zelnick noted, had called for a “full and comprehensive” investigation, as did the COM faculty.

“[Chairman designate Lou Ureneck and I] knew our faculty included strong supporters of the dean as well as many who would applaud his resignation,” the letter states. “Our goal was to fashion a resolution that nearly all could support, and with the dean’s own proposal as a model, we believed we had succeeded. We would, of course, feel perfectly well-served if you responded affirmatively to Dean Schulz’ own request for a full investigation.”

Campbell’s letter, sent a day prior to Zelnick’s, suggested that faculty members could only raise instances of misconduct in “scholarship and research” in their inquiry.

“Questions of managerial style or similar matters are not germane to this issue,” the provost wrote at the time.

According to the provosts’ office, Campbell is out of town and could not be reached for comment. Schulz declined to comment on either email, citing the confidentiality of the inquiry process. In the past, however, the dean has said he would welcome a thorough investigation in order to clear his name.

This is the second time in recent days that Zelnick has noted a division among COM faculty over the dean, and it is the first time it has been brought to light that at least some members of the journalism faculty would welcome the dean’s resignation.