BUS to protest Pan-African
chair
By Corinne Henahan
Cultural Affairs Reporter
Friday,
November 21, 1997
Black United Students will
hold a rally at noon today in the Student Center plaza sup- porting a letter
issued Thursday by BUS demanding the resignation of George Garrison, chairman
of the Department of Pan-African Studies.
BUS gave six reasons
they are unhappy with Garrison, delivering the letter to him by hand. Among
the complaints were charges of "disregard of the historical mission" of
the department, "open opposition to the African- American student body"
and "inability to serve as a responsible and professional faculty member."
The letter said Garrison
fails to "maintain a working relationship with the African-American student
body" and "recognize the authority of the director of the Center of Pan-African
Cul- ture." The letter also cites Garrison's reassign- ment of student
office space in Oscar Ritchie Hall.
Garrison responded
to these charges, say- ing he has no intention of resigning.
"There is no truth
to the allegations in this letter," Garrison said.
BUS President Stacey
McMillan said the group's action results from many incidents that have
occurred over time.
"It's an accumulation
of events that have happened over the years," McMillan said. She added
that she will explain these events at the rally.
BUS Vice President
Traci Easley agreed with McMillan, saying dissatisfaction with Garrison
has been building.
"Over the last four
years, the organization has been aware of a number of questionable incidents,
Easley said. "That has led us to the actions we are now taking."
McMillan quoted the
constitution of BUS as grounds to get involved. The constitution says that
BUS works to ensure an environment "conducive to black students in their
quest to obtain a quality and meaningful education.
"Under his leadership
we do not feel that is being accomplished, McMillan said.
Francis Dorsey, director
of the Center of Pan-African Culture, said Garrison violates university
policy.
As director of the
center, Dorsey said he should see a copy of the budget, which he said is
separate from the Department of Pan-African Studies.
Dorsey said he has
not seen a budget for the Center in two years.
It is now November
and the chair of the department, as of this date, has not yet given me
a budget for the Center of Pan-African Culture," Dorsey said.
Dorsey said he has
not seen a budget for the center in two years. Dorsey also said budget
decisions he makes are often not recognized by Garrison.
Dorsey said he feels
there are personal problems between him and Garrison.
Dorsey was one of four
professors of Pan-African Studies to sign a letter last December to
Joseph Danks, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, requesting an early
review of Garrison.
Dorsey said 11 months
later, no action has been taken.
This is now November,
and the process still has not taken place," Dorsey said.
Charles Greene, vice
president for Human Resources, said the review process has begun.
"There is a process
for reviewing, and that is under way," Greene said. Garrison refused to
comment specifically on Dorsey's allegations.
"These things are going
to be dealt with during that process," Garrison said.
Garrison said he did
not think BUS came to these conclusions on its own.
"These young people
are being misled and manipulated," Garrison said.
Dorsey said he disagreed.
"That is something
they have moved on their own Dorsey said. "He has shown the same lack of
respect to the students."
Easley said BUS has
always had very close ties to the Center of Pan-African Culture, which
she says is reason enough to get involved.
"The Center of Pan-African
Culture is man- aged by the Department of Pan-African Studies in conjunction
with Black United Students, so the board has always had a close relationship
with the department as well as the center," Easley said. "We (BUS) founded
the Center of Pan-African Culture.
"That came before the
Department of Pan- African Studies. The department came after that because
the university saw the demands of black students."
Dorsey said he feels
there are forces working against the center's involvement with BUS. "The
Center of Pan-African Culture is managed by the Department of Pan-African
Studies in conjunction with Black United Students, so the board has always
had a close relationship with the department as well as the center," Easley
said. "We (BUS) founded the Center of Pan-African Culture.
"That came before the
Department of Pan-African Studies. The department came after that because
the university saw the demands of black students."
Dorsey said he feels
there are personal problems between him and Garrison.
"There are a lot of
people that are trying to undermine the role that the center has played
in relation to BUS," he said.
Greene said the involvement
of BUS will impact Garrison's review.
"All of those things
become things to be considered," Greene said.
Dorsey said he thinks
the BUS rally will serve to inform the university community of the problem
that exists.
"I think it is a means
to allowing the community to know that something isn't right," he said.
"I think it is a means
of allowing the community to know that something isn't right," he said.
|