I was surprised to see Deputy Provost Andrew Hamilton's statement in
The Courant that "Yale does not appoint its ladder faculty based on
student demands."
Why don't we have a say about who teaches us?
Last semester, a group of undergraduates at Yale met with Nina
Glickson, the assistant to President Richard Levin. She assured us that
the Yale administration was doing everything in its power to promote
diversity among the faculty. In a meeting last week, Deputy Provost
Hamilton told me that Yale is not renewing the contract of Professor
Allen - one of the few black women professors in the sciences at Yale.
Dr. Allen is a beloved mentor and one of the best teachers in the
chemistry department. Deputy Provost Hamilton and the Yale
administration should listen to students and give Professor Allen her
job back.
Phoebe R. Rounds
And Mary Reynolds follows suit:
Deputy Provost Andy Hamilton argues that Yale does not respond to
student demands. Yet, history shows that Yale can listen to its
students. In the 1960s, the newly formed Black Student Alliance at Yale
demanded an African American studies program.
Despite opposition, BSAY held a conference, submitted a petition to
Yale's president and forged a community capable of undertaking the
tremendous task of educating the administration, faculty and other
students.
Created in 1969, Yale's African American Studies Program now ranks
among the best in the United States. These students helped pry open
Yale's doors, allowing women and people of color to enter, but for many
of Yale's faculty these doors continue to revolve and spit them out
after years of service.
Last week, dozens of Professor Connie Allen's former students submitted
letters to President Richard Levin praising her teaching and
mentorship. In April, 300 graduate students filed a formal grievance
with the administration to request that Yale fulfill its stated
commitment to diversity.
In 30 years, will we look back and see the inauguration of a new
generation of women scientists and scholars of color, or will we see
Yale's missed opportunity to provide the best teaching and mentorship
for all students?
Mary R. Reynolds
New Haven
Both Phoebe and Mary have "R"s as both middle and final initials. Coincidence? Probably. Yesterday a graduate student, myself, and one of Dr. Allen's former students requested a meeting with President Levin to discuss Dr. Allen next week and notified Levin's receptionist that we'd return if we didn't hear back by Monday.
Today I joined a caravan of Gesistas and went down to the upper west side (represent!) joining the picket lines of Columbia University's striking graduate students, GSEU-UAW, who have been on strike for four weeks. The strike is going strong, and I'm glad I was able to head down and stand up for my neighborhood and scream for justice "in our classrooms and on our streets." The GSEUistas had a huge rat in front of the Broadway gate, and a very big picket line stretching almost all the way from the gate down to the Columbia bookstore. They had some serious solidarity. Besides 20 Gesistas, there were folks there from a bunch of NYC unions (including GSOC-UAW from NYU) and GET-UP. What they didn't have were chants - but it's ok - Maris brought the trumpet, and GSEU's drum squad were fast learners. Plus, I suspect this was less a function of them not having chants than of them being exhausted after striking for a month. And none of us ever came up with anything as good as "DON'T FUCK WITH MY TA."
At any rate, it's pretty clear that the GSEU folks have an extraordinary amount of solidarity behind them, (even nutty spartacists in sunglasses,)and this is a very good thing. GSEU is going to win. GET-UP is going to win. And GESO, who have been organizing longer than both combined, and who have faced incredible persecution and opposition and survived and come out stronger than ever (just check out the new mcplunk designed t-shirts (i want one so bad,) are going to win.
Today's banner headline in the New Haven Register: "Rumsfeld Goes To Iraqi Prison." We wish.
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