SIGN THE PETITION:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/margoramlalnankoetenure/index.html

“We had little or no expectations of her; she is after all a woman of color.”

A tenured professor in Ithaca College's Sociology Department included the above statement in an email he wrote to the Sociology Tenure and Promotion Committee at Ithaca College in 2005. The woman to whom he was referring to is Margo Ramlal-Nankoe, an assistant professor seeking tenure in Ithaca College’s Sociology Department.

This group is about Margo’s struggle for tenure at Ithaca College. Margo’s tenure process became a struggle when a small number of influential faculty and administrators began campaigning against her. Margo became a target of their negative campaign because she (a) spoke out against sexual harassment within her department and (b) challenged students and community members to think critically about US and Israeli policy in the Middle East. The campaign against Margo is about to succeed: Ithaca College’s Board of Trustees has denied Margo tenure and she is scheduled to be fired on May 12th, 2009.

If Margo is fired, both Ithaca and Ithaca College will lose a fabulous teacher and citizen. Despite the campaign being waged against her, Margo’s tenure review file is full of glowing letters from her students and colleagues. The Chair of the Sociology Tenure and Promotion Committee summarized the content of the numerous letters of support Margo received from her students: “Most students tell us that working with Dr. Ramlal-Nankoe has transformed their views, their life, and/or their plans for the future…” The letters of support Margo received from her peers also note her excellence. A typical faculty letter states that Margo provides a, “superior example of pedagogy and of the teaching of traditional sociology.”

With glowing reviews from students and peers, we need to ask: “Why is Margo being fired?” On April 16th, Margo made the following presentation--now on our blog--showing that her tenure denial and subsequent termination were discriminatory, and showing that she deserves an independent and public tenure review to remedy her "tenure travesty":

The video: http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/more-on-the-witch-hunt-at-ithaca-college/

The transcript: http://ithacacollegeinjustice.blogspot.com/2009/04/margos-speech-plus-troy-pasulkas.html

For more information about Margo's case and how you can help, check out our blog:

IthacaCollegeInjustice.BlogSpot.com




SEND ITHACA COLLEGE'S PRESIDENT A LETTER


President Rochon,

I am writing you because I am concerned with Ithaca College’s employment practices regarding Margo Ramlal-Nankoe.

Margo alleges that she has been discriminatorily denied tenure and continued employment at Ithaca College. She alleges that the discrimination she faced stemmed from the fact that she (a) spoke out against sexual harassment within her department and (b) challenged students and community members to think critically about US and Israeli policy in the Middle East. Moreover, she alleges that those individuals who worked to unfairly deny her tenure committed serious violations of the established rules and procedures governing her tenure process.

Because Margo presents compelling evidence supporting these allegations, I (and many others) think that Ithaca College should offer Margo an independent and public tenure review at which Ithaca College’s tenure criteria, Margo’s tenure file, past violations of Margo’s tenure review process, and discriminatory actions against her can all be assessed.

Also, you said in an April 17th, 2009 interview that you “don’t really understand” Margo’s request for a public tenure review “because the tenure review has been completed.” Hopefully this email helps clarify why Margo is requesting an independent and public tenure review. If you need more information, I personally have read the following letter which outlines Margo’s situation and grievances: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ei=oaroSan9FarnnQeIlqSNBw&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=%22To%3A+Provost+Kathleen+Rountree+From%3A+Dr.+Margo+Ramlal-Nankoe%22&spell=1

Thank you for your further consideration.


Sincerely,

YOUR NAME HERE

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SIGN THE PETITION:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/margoramlalnankoetenure/index.html

“We had little or no expectations of her; she is after all a woman of color.”

A tenured professor in Ithaca College's Sociology Department included the above statement in an email he wrote to the Sociology Tenure and Promotion Committee at Ithaca College in 2005. The woman to whom he was referring to is Margo Ramlal-Nankoe, an assistant professor seeking tenure in Ithaca College’s Sociology... (read more)