Iowa State is being sued by two former heads of the English department who say they should have been paid for accrued vacation time.

Frank Haggard, who served as chairman of the department from July 1989 until July 1992, and Dale Ross, who served as chairman of the department from July 1992 until June 1996, jointly filed the lawsuit on July 7 in Story County District Court.

The two former department heads each are asking for more than $13,000 in compensation from the university as well as interest, liquidated damages and cost, including attorney fees.

Court records show the two professors, who have both since left ISU, say they were required to sign a faculty letter of intent. The letter stated, among other things, that all accrued vacation should be used during their A-base appointments as chairmen.

They believe this provision was contrary to general policies set forth in the Iowa State Faculty Handbook and Personnel Policies, which allowed compensation to be paid for accumulation of 384 hours of vacation time.

Ross and Haggard charge that the provision disallowing accumulation of vacation time contained in the letter of intent is contrary to other various positions throughout the university that were classified as A-base appointments.

Paul Tanaka, director of university Legal Services, said he could not comment on the issue because he had not yet seen the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, Haggard claims his compensation for accumulated vacation time should have been $13,329. Ross believes his total should have been $13,719.

Ross and Haggard, who are being represented by Ames lawyer Ronald Sotak, claim their demands for compensation from ISU have been refused.

Sotak would not accept phone calls seeking comment on the suit.

No members of the Faculty Senate could be reached for comment.