Friday, December 21, 2012
Greetings,
The Organization of African American Studies Graduate Students at Temple University would like to offer our gratitude and sincere appreciation to the students, alumni, and the great number of people in our local and national community for your continued support. Our organization will continue to challenge the administration of Temple University to implement a proper democratic process towards the restoration of a permanent chair for our department. Temple University speaks much of its multiculturalism and diversity. We demand the University to practice what it promotes. We continue to demand that the university commit itself to the hiring of a new chair in the Department of African American Studies by Fall 2013. We continue to demand that the administration allow the department to democratically elect the new chair. Finally, we continue to demand that an investigation be made into the actions of Teresa Soufas (Dean of the College of Liberal Arts) concerning her authoritarian, unequal, and unfair treatment of matters pertaining to our department.
On November 14, 2012 we forwarded our letter to the President, Provost, and Board of Trustees of the University listing these demands and explaining their rationale. As of today December 17, 2012 we have yet to receive a response to the letter from any of these individuals. As further evidence of the inattentiveness of Temple University to our concerns, Dean Soufas has responded to media inquiries, yet continues to ignore us.
As you continue to offer your voice and attention in solidarity and support of this struggle please continue to do the following:
1. Forward our letter and accompanying documents to media, alumni, and any/all advocates of African American Studies;
2. Email Temple University’s administration; and
3. Publicize these events in whatsoever environments you find yourselves.
For reference purposes, the original letter sent by our Organization as well as the ongoing attempts dating back years at clarifying the position and mission of our department to the deafening silence of Temple University and its administrators are attached.
Lastly, we would like to emphasize that our department has not wavered from its commitment to developing and advancing the discipline of African American Studies even while facing this most recent administrative backlash.
Thank you once again for your support and we will be updating you continually. For further updates contact and follow us at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OAASGS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oaasgs
Organization of African-American Studies Graduate Students
Department of African American Studies
Temple University