Penn State’s head of African American Studies resigns, accuses dean of broken promises

Michael West, head of Penn State’s Department of African American Studies, resigned from his post last Wednesday — accusing his college’s dean of broken promises, questioning the university’s commitment to diversity and equity, and describing the department’s morale as “dispirited and morose.”

In a blistering open letter written Sunday and circulating among faculty members, West explained the reasons for his unusual resignation, which came less than a year into a five-year term. He also charged Clarence Lang, Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts, with refusing to honor a previous commitment to hire two new tenure-line faculty.

“Where Dean Lang has fallen short and, more crucially, effectively reneged on his commitment, is on faculty capacity: replacing faculty members who left the university, or who were denied tenure, or who did not apply for tenure,” wrote West, who remains a tenured professor in the department. “The result is that the Department of African American Studies has become the proverbial ‘sick man’ of the College of the Liberal Arts, with insufficient tenured faculty to fulfill critical functions, starting with the most basic ones, like departmental officers.

“For me to remain as head under such injurious conditions would, to evoke Dean Lang’s discourse and design, amount to accepting the assignment of a fool’s errand.”

In his letter, West explained that five African American Studies professors have left since Lang joined the university in 2019 — but only two have so far been replaced. West, who holds a Ph.D. in history from Harvard, emphasized Penn State’s ongoing issues in recruitment and retention of Black faculty, something that Black faculty members have repeatedly brought up, including in a 97-page report from 2020 titled, “More Rivers to Cross.”

Per Penn State’s own DEIB dashboard, overall, there were 10 fewer Black tenure-line faculty in fall 2022 compared to the year before.

“It is likely that some of those who left Penn State in recent years would have done so regardless,” West wrote. “But others might have been persuaded to remain at the university — except that, it has been reported, Dean Lang has repeatedly failed to make sufficiently robust counteroffers to keep them.”

In response to the letter, the Centre Daily Times reached out to both Lang and the university for comment. Interim Provost Justin Schwartz said in a statement that West’s letter made unsubstantiated claims — although he did not specify what claims.

Schwartz added: “As the department finds its footing, be assured that Dean Lang’s commitment to the Department of African American Studies, including the opportunity to grow the department faculty as they make strides towards their goals, is unwavering and he is focused on building AFAM’s stature and contributions to the academic field.”

In a separate written statement, Lang thanked West for his nine months of service and did not address the narrative in West’s letter. Instead, Lang said he planned to name an interim department head “in due course” while his own work to better the department would continue.

“As dean, I will continue to provide funding of departmental programming and resources, and partner in supporting the success of the African American Studies department,” Lang said. “I hope we will work together to remove obstacles and define goals that help AFAM become a premier department in the College of the Liberal Arts, Penn State and beyond.”

In the 2,500-word open letter, West said he took on the role of department head after Lang “reluctantly” agreed to the hiring of two additional tenure-line professors. (West said he refused to sign the first offer letter, which did not outline the condition, so Lang sent another on May 18 that did include it.)

West provided a copy of that offer letter to the CDT, which confirmed the hiring agreement and gave Lang as many as three academic years to approve the hires. However, West wrote in his open letter, “Dean Lang now says the situation is such that it would be ‘foolish’ for him to make good on his promise to provide those lines.”

“I haven’t so much left my post as the dean has left his commitment to my department,” West added in his letter.

West also openly questioned the university’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, writing any commitment is of little value until it’s reflected in budgetary priorities. He criticized the decision by President Neeli Bendapudi to cancel the Center for Racial Justice, pointing out that Lang — a member of the committee that recommended the center — was also one of the most vocal defenders of its cancellation. And he wrote that Lang also turned down an invitation to meet with African American Studies faculty “in an astonishingly disrespectful snub.”

“The Department of African American Studies is not asking for the key to the kingdom that is Penn State University,” West wrote. “All we seek is the replacement of faculty members who have left in recent years so that we can become a normal academic department, no longer the weak link in the chain that is the College of the Liberal Arts, under Dean Lang’s stewardship.”