[bfsa] Re: [Fwd: Embarrasing for BFSA? Disrespect for BFSA?]

Dr. Akpadock fakpadock at ysu.edu
Tue Sep 20 00:22:00 EDT 2005


  Dear All:
The reason that President Sweet has decided to meet with delegates from 
BFSA, has been pressure brought to bear on him from so many letters of 
support for Dr. Midamba written by individuals to the new Provost with 
copies to him.  I personally wrote to him urging him to use his good 
offices to get to the bottom of why Dr. Midamba's contract was not renewed.

As minorities on campus, and with so many things going on, we deserve 
the right to know what happens to this one case that at least by our own 
assumption, is undeserving, so that we as a body, and as individuals,  
can learn from it. So many of us here have been fighting this invisible 
war of attrition in private each by himself/ herself, and if this one 
will unveil the past wrongdoing by the powers that be, so be it.

However so far, my readings from all the postings on this issue seem to 
revolve around the magic mantra : diversity.  Dr. Midamba was not hired 
on the bases of campus diversity, but on his merits  based on 
qualification and experience!  I feel that if the delegates to meet with 
Dr. Sweet  would benchmark their arguments on diversity, the case would 
be very weak for success since directly or indirectly, they would be 
seen as playing the  "R card" which is an undertone for "affirmative 
action," WHICH  THIS CASE IS NOT IN ALL ITS RAMIFICATIONS! The delegates 
must be very wary and forewarned of this!!!!!

We need a simple explanation from Dr. Sweet that the exclusion of Dr. 
Midamba by the Search Committee from interview was based on his lack of :
1. Qualification
2. Performance
3. Experience
4. Leadership

It's the more reason that I advocated that a committee be set up to get 
Dr. Midamba to put together his Vita, Experience, Performance and 
Leadership for Dr. Sweet to see that Midamba was indeed not 
qualitatively and quantitatively qualified for the position. Let Dr. 
Sweet try to solve the jigsaw puzzle of Midamba's exclusion himself 
without our interjection of diversity as the epicenter/core of our 
argument even is this should be a secondary reason foir his retention. 
Just my penny worth.

Frank Akpadock

Dr. Akpadock wrote:

>
>
> Cameron Hughes wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: Embarrasing for BFSA? Disrespect for BFSA?
>> Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 13:47:06 -0400
>> From: Cameron Hughes <cahughes at cc.ysu.edu>
>> Organization: Youngstown State University
>> To: Arlene Floyd <afloyd at ysu.edu>, BFSA <bfsa at lists.ysu.edu>, 
>> logicworld at sbcglobal.net
>> CC: wjblake at cc.ysu.edu
>> References: <4329B580.EB16534B at cc.ysu.edu> <4329BA33.2050409 at ysu.edu> 
>> <4329C5D0.48F5979E at cc.ysu.edu> <4329D1C6.4030305 at ysu.edu> 
>> <432ABC9A.232D21E4 at cc.ysu.edu> <432AD63B.6020305 at ysu.edu>
>>
>>
>>
>>Hi Arlene,
>>
>>I think making a stand is putting too strongly.  It doesn't leave room
>>for the real nuance that at play here.
>>
>>The University has taken a certain direction with Dr. Midamba. "The
>>perception" of the
>>folks out here in the rank and file is that the direction taken is
>>inconsistent/incompatible
>>with the University's stated diversity initiatives. The operative word
>>is "perception".
>>Since the University did not issue anything official about what was
>>happening to Dr. Midamba
>>in the absence of official information people make up their own
>>stories.  Rumors get started, things
>>get miscommunicated and before you know it people our outraged. Damn
>>outraged!!!!
>>Yet with all the outrage, BFSA is waiting to get the facts, thats why we
>>haven't returned all the calls
>>from the various news organizations.
>>
>>What the BFSA is doing is asking Dr. Sweet to help us deal with and
>>reverse "the perception"  that
>>Midamba is being mistreated.  Dr. Midamba is extremely qualified.  He is
>>well respected.  He is admired by many.
>>According to the professors/faculty that we are talking to he has been
>>extremely effective in his job.
>>So its especially hard for some of the black people  at YSU (Africans
>>and African Americans)  to understand how his non-renewal is consistent
>>with the University's stated diversity goals.  Regardless to what
>>machinery that is normally in place when the old provost leaves and a
>>new provosts comes in, and  all the todo about "search committee this or
>>search committee that": the diversity objectives seem to suggest that
>>the University would find somewhere to put someone like Dr. Midamba. If
>>he was truly valued, there has to be somewhere commensurate with his
>>credentials.  
>>  
>>
>>The BFSA simply wants the 'official rationalization'  for the decision
>>not to renew his contract 
>>and to understand how that rationalization lines up with the stated
>>diversity initiatives. We need an official word from Dr. Sweet so that
>>we can help effectively deal with the "perceptions" the "rumors" etc. 
>>In this case BFSA is partnering
>>with the administration to help assuage people's outrage about how they
>>perceive that Dr. Midamba has been treated.
>>
>>Its not a matter of making a stand.  But on the other hand, the
>>University has to understand that in this environment when a person of
>>Noah Midamba's stature is let go, at the very least an explanation to
>>the minority
>>community is owed.  At the very least there has to be, if nothing else
>>an appearance of a committment to diversity. At this point its  a simple
>>matter of sensitivity and respect. The administration is a servant to
>>the University and its students as we all are. Everyone of us is
>>accountable to each other for that reason. The BFSA's mission statement
>>requires that we get and that we publish/communicate an official
>>explanation of what happened to Dr. Midamba. The actions have to be
>>explained in plain view for all to see and understand. Especially the
>>black  faculty and staff. That's not an outrageous request.  That's not
>>a radical black panther request.  Its a matter of simple respect.
>>
>>
>>[IF] it turns out that the official statement of  why Dr. Midamba's
>>contract was not renewed  shows how his termination actually furthers
>>the University's stated diversity initiatives then there's no problem.
>>[IF] it turns out that  upon deeper investigation that Dr. Midamba's
>>treatment in this whole  process was not incompatible with the
>>University's diversity initiatives then there's no problem. If it turns
>>out that Dr. Midamba's treatment is consistent with how the other
>>interim directors have been/or are treated then there's no problem.  Dr.
>>Sweet and others in his administration have an obligation to address
>>"the perception", because  that "perception" whether it is correct or
>>incorrect , whether they created the perception or have nothing to do
>>with it:  "the perception" does exist and it is leading to growing
>>outrage, feelings of betrayal, feelings of insecurity, accusations of
>>hypocrisy, feelings of being disrespected and so on among most of us in
>>the minority community.
>>
>>I'm sure that if  Dr. Sweet is aware of who the BFSA is that he
>>considers the BFSA as a partner that can help realize the University's
>>diversity initiatives.  A partner that will help the University be the
>>best that it can be.  On the other hand if he is not aware of the BFSA
>>then he soon  will be,  and at that time he will see us as partner in
>>the  diversity process.
>>
>>
>>In terms of us saying something or doing something that would cause uthe
>>BFSA not to be respected or  that would be embarrassing
>>to the BFSA, well....  that kind of begs the question doesn't it?
>>
>>It is quite possible that inaction on the part of the BFSA would  also
>>cause us to be disrespected.  Its quite possible
>>that BFSA could  also be embarrassed by the fact that they stood by and
>>did nothing, stood by and said nothing, and that everyone was so focused
>>on their own personal agendas and protecting their own asses that no one
>>pays attention  when we lose people of the stature of Dr. Midamba. If
>>anything is worthy of shame, disrepsect or embarrassment that is.  
>>Arlene I know that you are down for the cause and that you support the
>>position that we are taking with respect to Dr. Midamba.  I am  really
>>responding to not only your comments but the comments of a lot of other
>>folks and I'm using this one e-mail response to do it.
>>
>>Its not up to BFSA to pick and choose who they will be a resource for
>>and who they'll ignore.  We can't arbitrarily decide that
>>someone is indefensible, or that someone has played bad politics, or
>>that someone is on someone else's shit list and to therefore
>>steer clear of that person.  If the request of any black faculty, staff,
>>student or anyone of any nationality for that matter is consistent with
>>the BFSA mission statement then we have an obligation to help as best we
>>can, even if on the surface it appears that the person does not deserve
>>help or is beyond help.  As you said there are always at least two sides
>>to every story. There's been no official press release on what happened
>>to Dr. Midamba, at least none that we are aware of. That alone puts a
>>burden on BFSA to get to the bottom of this right????
>>
>>
>>Arlene  I do maintain:
>>
>>If not now...   When?
>>If not here...  Where?
>>If not this...  What?
>>If not us....   Who?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Arlene Floyd wrote:
>>> 
>>> Cameron,
>>> 
>>> I commend BFSA's efforts for making a stand.  Please don't
>>> misunderstand and think that I am at all in disagreement.  I just want
>>> BFSA to address the situation in a manner that this administration
>>> cannot criticize but only respect.
>>> 
>>> Arlene
>>> 
>>> Cameron Hughes wrote:
>>> 
>>> > Hey Arlene
>>> >
>>> > You know that you experience and opinions and expertise are
>>> > appreciated
>>> > in the group and I certainly appreciate them personally.
>>> >
>>> > Hopefully from this point on if anyone of us is going through
>>> > something
>>> > like this the BFSA would be there as a resource.  It seems the group
>>> > should have been more agressive in the past. I really don't know why
>>> > we
>>> > haven't been as active as we should. Over the past couple of weeks I
>>> > heard a few statements that insinuated that BFSA wasn't there for
>>> > them.
>>> > That unfortunate.  We need to correct that, now is a good as time as
>>> > any
>>> > to start.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > I think race is only implied here because of the mission statement
>>> > of
>>> > the BFSA.  It just happens that we were called on as a resource.
>>> > Dr. Midamba's credentials would be impressive regardless to what
>>> > race
>>> > there were associated with.  His performance at YSU in most respects
>>> > is
>>> > outstanding.  His YSU community support is apparently very good.  I
>>> > think in some respects that blackness/race in this case
>>> > is not an issue on our side of the discussion.  If Midamba were
>>> > Hispanic, Arabic, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, etc we (BFSA) should
>>> > offer
>>> > our help as a resource. I don't know what part race/blackness plays
>>> > in
>>> > the decision making on the administration side.  I'm certainly not
>>> > making any accusations!
>>> >
>>> > In this case we have an opportunity to help YSU meet its diversity
>>> > initiatives.  It may very well be the case that they aren't fully
>>> > aware
>>> > of Dr. Midamba's incredible cache of credentials.  So this process
>>> > is
>>> > helping to better educate the University about who Dr. Midamba is
>>> > and
>>> > the job that he's done and the job that he will be able to do if he
>>> > is
>>> > reinstated.  If race has nothing to do with it on the
>>> > administration's
>>> > side then we shouldn't have a problem :-)
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Thanx again so much,,, keep up the good work..
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Cameron
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >> Arlene Floyd wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >> I am well aware of what can happen in academia because I have
>>> >> worked
>>> >> at three separate universities during the past 21 years.  I have
>>> >> personally experienced  "things" that happen and I have had to go
>>> >> it
>>> >> alone.  My concern is that we don't want to cry the "R" word
>>> >> unless we
>>> >> know for certain.  We can acknowledge the possible unfairness in
>>> >> the
>>> >> treatment of Dr. Midamba in not allowing him to interview and ask
>>> >> that
>>> >> this action be remedied.
>>> >>
>>> >>  I spoke with someone in administration and there will be another
>>> >> search and maybe one of the "requests" from BFSA to President
>>> >> Sweet is
>>> >> that Dr. Midamba be allowed to apply for the "revamped" position.
>>> >>
>>> >> Just my thoughts -
>>> >>
>>> >> Arlene
>>> >>
>>> >> Cameron Hughes wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> > Arlene Floyd wrote:
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> > This petition is really a normal and (should be regular) function
>>> >> > of
>>> >> > the
>>> >> > BFSA.
>>> >> > I don't know whether you were there in time enough during the
>>> >> > first
>>> >> > meeting to
>>> >> > hear that there were several attempts (over about a year) to get
>>> >> > an
>>> >> > audience with various members in the
>>> >> > administration to talk over "the two sides"
>>> >> >
>>> >> > During that first meeting we received very specific documentation
>>> >> > that
>>> >> > these attempts were for one reason or another
>>> >> > unsuccessful.  At this point its really all about sitting down
>>> >> > and
>>> >> > talking to the
>>> >> > administration about "the two sides of the story" which up until
>>> >> > now
>>> >> > it
>>> >> > "appears" the administration didn't deem expedient or
>>> >> > necessary.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Personally I'm not taking any sides, I'm only fulfilling  my
>>> >> > obligations
>>> >> > as a meager member of the BFSA  and to the BFSA mission :-)
>>> >> > My name was called.  Sometimes I'm not there to answer.  This
>>> >> > time I
>>> >> > was.... :-)
>>> >> > The fact of the matter is the BFSA ought to be a resource for any
>>> >> > one of
>>> >> > us that this could happen to, and you never know who could be
>>> >> > next... It
>>> >> > could be anyone of us...
>>> >> >
>>> >> > If you can't make the meeting tomorrow I'll pass on your
>>> >> > suggestion
>>> >> > about "having all the facts".
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Thanx
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Cameron
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> >>  Cameron,
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>  Please make certain that the group has ALL the facts.  While I
>>> >> >>  don't
>>> >> >>  like what happened to Dr. Midamba, there is always two sides to
>>> >> >>  EVERY story.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>  Arlene
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>  Cameron Hughes wrote:
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> > A major development took place earlier today in reference to
>>> >> >> > our
>>> >> >> > petition on behalf
>>> >> >> > of Dr. Midamba.
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > Dr. Sweet has sent Dr. Wan-tatah  a letter agreeing to meet
>>> >> >> > with
>>> >> >> > a small
>>> >> >> > delegation  of us  early next week
>>> >> >> > to discuss the petition on behalf of Dr.Midamba further.
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > We would like as many of you as possible to attend an  urgent
>>> >> >> > meeting
>>> >> >> > tomorrow 9/16/2005
>>> >> >> > in room 121-122 in Debartlo (outside of Dr. Wan-tatah's
>>> >> >> > office)
>>> >> >> > at 4:30
>>> >> >> > p.m.
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > The purpose of this urgent meeting is to get your feedback on
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > exactly who should be in the delegation to Dr Sweet.  Also
>>> >> >> > your
>>> >> >> > thoughts, ideas, creativity are needed
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > to help determine how much of agenda 1 (the particular) and
>>> >> >> > agenda 2(
>>> >> >> > the general)
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > should be presented at the meeting with Dr. Sweet.
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > Everyone's participation, suggestions, and input are truly
>>> >> >> > welcomed and
>>> >> >> > needed. If you can't be there and
>>> >> >> > you have ideas please get them to us so that they can be
>>> >> >> > presented.  We
>>> >> >> > would like to take advantage of
>>> >> >> > the collective intelligence and wisdom that we have
>>> >> >> > throughout
>>> >> >> > our
>>> >> >> > group.  Steps we take in this upcoming meeting and the
>>> >> >> > necessary
>>> >> >> > future
>>> >> >> > meetings with Dr. Sweet will invariably have dramatic impact
>>> >> >> > on
>>> >> >> > us all.
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > See ya there.....
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > Cameron
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > _______________________________________________
>>> >> >> > bfsa mailing list
>>> >> >> > bfsa at lists.ysu.edu
>>> >> >> > http://lists.ysu.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/bfsa
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>
>>  
>>
>

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