EPSJ presents President Liebergott with petition to reinstate House, Desir
Chris Girard and Gabrielle Dunn
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: News
Student-run Emerson Peace and Social Justice presented college President Jacqueline Liebergott today with its petition with more than 500 student signatures, calling for the reinstatement of two black professors, Roger House and Pierre Desir, who have alleged they were denied tenure last summer based on their race.
"The students want to hear from the administration themselves why these two men were denied tenure," Tarbet said to Liebergott in the meeting, which The Beacon was invited to attend by EPSJ. "So there is no misinformation, and so no one holds a grudge."
Liebergott told the students she would consider the petition and pass it along, but did not offer details and would not commit on anything specific regarding them.
Last week, Liebergott said she was in favor of a Faculty Assembly motion to hire an independent review panel for the college's tenure process, but would not comment on the decision particular to House and Desir.
Both professors have filed complaints against Emerson with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination alleging their applications for tenure were denied by Liebergott, Vice President of Academic Affairs Linda Moore, their deans and the college's Board of Trustees because they are black. Only one black professor has earned tenure based on their merits in the college's 129-year history: performing arts professor Robbie McCauley.
Wearing a T-shirt with "129" written on it, senior Ashley Tarbet met with Liebergott to deliver the petition, which was organized by EPSJ, of which House was the faculty adviser for two years. The petition was signed by about 500 students, the political communication major said, but some petition sheets are in the possession of other group members, and could not be presented to Liebergott.
Tarbet asked if the details of House's and Desir's tenure cases could be made public and Liebergott said they could not.
"It's confidential," Liebergott said. "But the college will make sure as much of this info as possible will be released."
"The students want to hear from the administration themselves why these two men were denied tenure," Tarbet said to Liebergott in the meeting, which The Beacon was invited to attend by EPSJ. "So there is no misinformation, and so no one holds a grudge."
Liebergott told the students she would consider the petition and pass it along, but did not offer details and would not commit on anything specific regarding them.
Last week, Liebergott said she was in favor of a Faculty Assembly motion to hire an independent review panel for the college's tenure process, but would not comment on the decision particular to House and Desir.
Both professors have filed complaints against Emerson with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination alleging their applications for tenure were denied by Liebergott, Vice President of Academic Affairs Linda Moore, their deans and the college's Board of Trustees because they are black. Only one black professor has earned tenure based on their merits in the college's 129-year history: performing arts professor Robbie McCauley.
Wearing a T-shirt with "129" written on it, senior Ashley Tarbet met with Liebergott to deliver the petition, which was organized by EPSJ, of which House was the faculty adviser for two years. The petition was signed by about 500 students, the political communication major said, but some petition sheets are in the possession of other group members, and could not be presented to Liebergott.
Tarbet asked if the details of House's and Desir's tenure cases could be made public and Liebergott said they could not.
"It's confidential," Liebergott said. "But the college will make sure as much of this info as possible will be released."
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