Thank you David Herrera for elucidating for us the workings and mechanisms of the University’s hiring process. I now know that there is a 3 person committee retained to hire the six instructors, but not who the 3 people in the committee are, i.e., were they department people, human resource personnel, who were they? Also, I now know that the preferred qualifications include prior teaching experience and a demonstrated record of teaching effectiveness. AND we also now know that Messer-Kruse was careful NOT to discriminate against outside (of BGSU) applicants. Good for you, David, stick to the facts, don’t dare address the REAL issues of WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW Dr. Carlos lost his teaching contract and why he, being OF a protected minority group and a HIGHLY effective teacher and more than highly qualified for the job was passed over by outside applicants who’s names sound nothing like “protected” minorities and have no affiliation with the university. WHAT were the issues behind Dr. Adams not having his contract renewed? HOW did they come to that decision? WHEN is Dr. Ribeau going to address an issue that seems to concern over 300 students, past and present? This is roughly 3 percent of the student population, but it is representative of those students who value a HISPANIC instructor and how he is a valuable asset to a solid Ethnic Studies Department. Dr. Ribeau’s silence speaks volumes and it is his silence which angers me and makes me wonder where his priorities lie. One of the recurring pros and cons I have heard regarding BGSU is it’s lack of diversity (as a “con”). It is one of the reasons I chose to send my two college-age daughters to schools with a more diversified student body AND faculty.

I believe BGSU has done little to retain and recruit faculty of color. I attended BGSU 27 years ago and have yet to see a familiar name on the list of professors from the Ethnic Studies department. They are just not being retained. It is as Dr. Adams has said, BGSU has a “revolving door” of hiring and I’ll add “firing” to that quote. I was a Business major and yet I see plenty of familiar names on that department’s list. Why not the same for the Ethnic Studies? BGSU has a set of double standards for retaining it’s “non-minority” teaching staff and those set for minority faculty. David, I did enjoy reading your book report. It was very informative and replete with facts. I would suggest that next time you dig a little deeper for the real issues and give us a real story, not a regurgitation of “facts ‘ figures”. – Sylvia Fellah BGSU Alumna