Photo by: Cam Sanders (wsupj)
Recently, a group of lecturers gathered in front of Wayne State President M. Roy Wilson’s on campus residence protesting and asking him to either make changes or to submit his resignation. According to one of protesters, the group was specifically asking president Wilson to promote the hiring and retention of black professors.
This public display is one of multiple retaliations from lecturers after it was announced that over 38 percent of WSU lecturers from College of Liberal Arts and Sciences received letters of non-renewal for their contracts
The protester added that the demographic of black professors will be among the hardest hit and that it why it is so important for Wilson to protect them.
In late February, around when the letters were first distributed, another group of protestors rallied at the university and attempted to present Wilson with a State of Support for Lecturers. This statement included over 800 signatures from WSU and other universities in support for the job security of lecturers.
The statement itself called for Wilson to “rescind notices of non-renewal and restore dignity and professionalism to our Lecturers and Senior Lecturers.”
President was not present in order to receive the statement in person; however, he did issue a response afterwards in the form of a mass email to the lecturers. In the email Wilson stated that the he recognizes the important work done by lecturers, but the issuing of layoff notices would allow the university to adjust in the event that university is unable to support their salaries within the budget.
The lecturers effected currently are attempting to gather support from WSU students, alumni, and staff in order to combat the mass layoffs.
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Cameron Sanders| Journalist 