The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

SIUC has no policy regarding the hiring of black faculty

The letter written by Mr. Herb Russell and published Wednesday in the Daily Egyptian is disturbing to me and to many students on this campus. If others who know him could sit and speak reasonably with Mr. Russell, a positive contribution might be made to the health of this community.

Mr. Russell is baiting black people because, as an alumnus of SIUC, he is perfectly well aware that the University is committed to hiring only competent professors. To imply otherwise is to ignore the tradition and experience of this University. It is disturbing because he tries to change the nature of the problem by defining terms in an absurd manner, thereby fanning the flames of ignorance at a time when we are in a hiring crisis.

Contrary to his superficial understanding, SIUC has no policy whatsoever regarding the hiring of black faculty other than the federally mandated affirmative action policy. If we actually had a policy, there would be far more black faculty on campus, and Mr. Russell and his fellow travelers would have experienced just how competent and often over-qualified we are to be here. For example, my principal graduate degrees are the following: MA from Johns Hopkins, and MA and Ph. D. from Yale. And when I hire faculty for our Black American Studies program, I hire those who are equally well-trained.

Joseph A. Brown, SJ

professor and director, Black American Studies

[Macro error: Can't include because the file is larger than 32767 characters.]

Today's News | Sports | Voices - Editorial | Letters
Newsbriefs | pulse - Arts & Entertainment | Calendar | Photo Staff
Apts & Rentals | Photo Personals | Live DE NewsCam | Classified Ads