Dr. Robert Harris Responds to Thursday's Announcement in The Chronicle about Africana Budget Increase

On March 31, an announcement was made that the Africana Studies and Research Center would receive a substantial budgetary increase next academic year.  The text of the announcement read accordingly:

The budget for the Africana Studies and Research Center will be raised by more than 50 percent over the next five years, from a current base budget of $2.3 million to $3.5 million. In addition, there will be a one-time infusion of $2 million to recruit new faculty, support research and develop a new Ph.D. program.

In December 2010, the provost requested from the College of Arts and Sciences and the director of the center a five-year plan, which was submitted in early March. This week's decision on Africana Studies was sent out at the same time budgets for 2012 -- which include $31 million in reductions already scheduled in other units -- were issued to all deans and vice presidents from Provost Kent Fuchs and Vice President for Planning and Budget Elmira Mangum.

"I am glad to support this strong budget proposal which I have reviewed with the dean of Arts and Sciences and with the director of Africana. We are committed to Cornell's Africana Center becoming a top five program in the nation, and this support will help make that possible," said Fuchs.

The provost announced in December that he would transfer oversight of the center from his office to Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2011. It will remain both a center and an academic department; the director will also be the department chair with the same authority and influence over the budget as any other department chair in the college.

"Funding for program development and the additional faculty lines will strengthen the center and position it for success," said Fuchs. "There's a very strong commitment on the part of the university to ensuring that the Africana Center becomes a more vibrant part of our academic and scholarly community."

In response to this announcement, Dr. Robert Harris has released a statement rejecting the Administration's claim that is implicated in this decision:

AN OPEN LETTER TO PROVOST W. KENT FUCHS

3 April 2011
W. Kent Fuchs

Provost

300 Day Hall

Cornell University


Dear Provost Fuchs:

Your statement in the Cornell Chronicle Online, March 31, 2011, egregiously misrepresents me and severely impugns my integrity.  The article reports that you “…requested from the College of Arts and Sciences and the director of the center a five-year plan, which was submitted in early March.”  On January 5, 2011, I wrote to Vice Provost Alice Pell that: “I do not have support within the Africana Center to engage in such discussions (with the College of Arts & Sciences) at this juncture.  Unfortunately, I think that we are at an impasse.  The Africana Center faculty will meet at the beginning of the spring semester and only with their permission will I engage in budget discussions.”  I have maintained that position and made it clear that I could not discuss a budget within the context of a move into the College of Arts & Sciences.

It is disingenuous for you to say that you have reviewed a budget proposal with me.  I have discussed our budget for the 2011-2012 academic year with Vice Provost Pell, and as you know, I have been foremost concerned about protecting our faculty lines.  When you indicated to me in late November that you planned to move the Africana Center into the College of Arts & Sciences, I submitted my resignation to you and only continue to serve as director at the request of the Africana Center faculty.  You state that I support your proposed budget and imply the same for the restructuring of the Africana Center, which is blatantly incorrect.  If you have anything in writing directly from me to the contrary, kindly present it.

We have asked several times for you to rescind your decision, to clear the deck and to start anew.  On February 24th, we even suggested a compromise for you given the tense atmosphere to at least suspend your decision to enter a discussion with open minds to seek the best solution to address our mutual needs and interests.  You rejected our overture  to discuss this matter with the type of courtesy, decency, and respect that we deserve no less as Cornell faculty than as human beings.

Sincerely,

Robert L. Harris Jr.