‘We will continue to protest.’ Penn State professors hold ‘read-in’ for racial justice

A group of Penn State professors held an impromptu “read-in” at Old Main Monday afternoon to shine light on what they say is a lack of commitment and action on racial justice at the university — and they don’t plan to stop pushing for change.

Gary King, professor of biobehavioral health and one of the authors of the “More Rivers to Cross” reports, said the protest was organized because Penn State administration has a “deliberate indifference” to racial injustice issues and has not made substantive progress toward its stated commitments.

In 2022, Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi canceled the Center for Racial Justice — a project announced in 2021 by former university president Eric Barron — and said the university would instead invest in already existing racial justice efforts at Penn State. The center would have provided resources, created a fellowship program and outreach opportunities, among other objectives. After the cancellation, Black faculty questioned the university’s commitment to diversity and anti-racism. That has continued. In February, Penn State faculty also held a teach-in, the third one in as many semesters, which focused on racial justice and the university’s budget.

According to the university’s data, the number of Black tenure-line faculty is at its lowest mark in at least five years. In part 2 of “More Rivers to Cross,” reports outlining Penn State’s racial problems, it states research and surveys found that 8 in 10 Black professors reported experiencing racism at Penn State, and more than 1 in 3 respondents at least “sometimes” regretted joining the university.

The read-in also comes days after Spotlight PA reported that two diversity initiatives Penn State said would receive better funding do not actually exist. And although Bendapudi in 2022 pledged to invest money that would have gone to the CRJ into other DEI efforts, those programs saw budget cuts as the university’s fiscal year 2023 budget began.

“The Bendapudi Penn State Administration is turning the clock back on racial justice at the university. That is why we have come here today to conduct this read-in and to remind the administration and the board of trustees that we will not stand idly by as they continually fail to deliver on their promises and to address the matter of race and racism on Penn State campuses,” King said.

For approximately 30 minutes, five professors — King, Chris Dancy, Darryl Thomas, Jennifer Black and Michael West — read works from civil rights activists, Black authors and more, like Martin Luther King Jr., Toni Morrison, Sojourner Truth and George Jackson.

Black, an assistant teaching English professor, quoted civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” That quote resonated with the group and was referred back to a few times throughout the event.

During the read-in, three police officers came and stood near the small group. In addition to the media, a handful of students and community members watched the event. No one from the administration or employees at Old Main came down or interacted with the professors.

Dancy, professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering, computer science and engineering, and African American studies, said he hopes the administration sees this protest and commits funding toward racial justice at Penn State.

West, a professor of African American studies, history, and African studies agreed, emphasizing that the university’s budget reflects its priorities.

“In terms of racial justice, the financial commitment is not there,” West said. “...The president has got to put her money where her mouth is.”

On the same day as February’s teach-in, Penn State issued a news release on “faculty and staff hiring efforts moving forward.” The university touted its future commitment, making note of an upcoming faculty hiring program focused on diversity and an “enhanced” way to report bias.

There will be more events throughout the semester, Dancy said, with one planned for noon March 27 at Old Main.

“We will continue to protest. We are sick and tired of statements, of commitments that are devoid of substance,” Dancy said.