Justice for Dr. Carlos Adams : Retain him as Instructor at BGSU

Justice for Dr. Carlos Adams, Ethnic Studies Instructor at Bowling Green State University

This petition exists due to concern regarding the future employment of Dr. Carlos Adams of the Ethnic Studies Department at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). For three years, Dr. Adams has been employed as an Instructor in the Ethnic Studies Department at BSGU, teaching Introduction to Ethnic Studies, Ethnicity in the US, as well as courses in Latino/a Studies.

Dr. Adams has an exemplary teaching record. He is consistently highly-rated on student evaluations and is one of the most respected and popular faculty members in the department. He also is extremely active in social justice work and has worked with student organizations (and individuals) and helped to promote racial and gender justice on campus and in the community. On Thursday, April 26, 2007, students and friends of Dr. Adams gathered to support him and thank him after his last class (Chicano History)of the semester. The fact that he was so honored is a tribute to his effectiveness as an instructor. In addition, Dr. Adams was granted an award (Sexuality and Gender Activism) on the same day for his commitment to feminism and womens issues. He has an extraordinary record of service to the university and has offered his hand of support to students on many occasions. For example, Dr. Adams came to the aid of my group and came to speak out against domestic violence at an anti-violence rally at very short notice. He has also spoken on numerous panels about race relations and racism in the US and in our community.

On Monday, April 30, 2007, Dr. Adams was informed by the Ethnic Studies department that he was not being granted a contract to teach at BGSU for the 2007-2008 year. We, the undersigned, would like to express our dismay at this decision and demand a full investigation into this miscarriage of justice. We believe that Dr. Adams should, at the very least, have his contract renewed for an additional three years so that future generations of students can benefit from his teaching, and so that BGSU retains such an engaged and passionate scholar, activist and friend.

We believe this is particularly important given the lack of faculty of color at BGSU. In order to live up to its mission of diversity, the university must be pro-active in its recruitment, retaining and promotion of faculty of color. Dr. Adams has offered support to us many times as a professor and community activist. Now it is time to repay that generosity to him in his time of need. By signing this petition, we express our support of Carlos by demanding that he be reinstated as a full-time Instructor of Ethnic Studies at BGSU and that his contract be renewed immediately.