Students rally to protest professor ' s tenure denial

BY JAY WooDRUFF make ·a new recEDmlR IN CH!EP ommendation to the board, or he The administration will reconsider its could decide to decision to deny tenure to Michael Gilsustain the original bert. an assistant professor of German recommendation," and Russian, in response to a rally in his Gilbert was desupport that attracted more than 100 stunied tenure at the dents and faculty Monday afternoon beboard of trustees hind Reynolda Hall. meeting April 2. ThecrowdstoodbelowPresidentThoMichael Gilbert Theboardbasedits masK.HearnJr.'sofficechanting"Give decision : on Gilbert tenure," while senior Eric SurHearn's recommendation. Hearn's asface,anorganizeroftheprotest,metwith sistant, Carolyn Dow, referred all quesHeam in his office. tions concerning the decision to the proAfter his meeting with Hearn, Surface vost. told the protestors that he was not satis"I've decided that the reasons for the · _ tied with the administration's response · decision should not be given to the press to their concerns. "I really don't know if because of the confidentiality that should we did a lot of good, and rm really be involved in all personnel matters," disappointed that the university is not Brown told the OG&B. listening to its students," he said. However, during the rally Brown met bottom line is that Dr. Gilbert. as well as he related to us, could not find a way to relate to his co11eagues in the German department." . Timothy Sellner, the chairman of the German and Russian department, made the initial recommendation concerning Gilbert's tenure, which was reviewed by the dean, the provost and the president before it was sent to the board of trustees for a final decision. Sellner said he made therecommendationafterconsultingwith the department's two senior professors, Wilmer Sanders and Larry West. Sellner said Gilbert did satisfy the three main criteria for tenure: teaching, professional activity (such as research and publication) and service to the community. No one questions his qualifications in those areas, Sellner said.