For that reason, he said: “I have to move to the great Union Theological Seminary. My perennial home. ”He noted that he was hired for the first time at age 23. Previously, he taught at Union for three different periods, including just before he moved to Harvard in 2017, and said he was glad to be back.
“I’m making the move back to New York, and it’s not a default change,” he said. “No way. I’m going with a smile. I’m getting excited.”
Harvard’s divinity school sent a message on Monday saying it would miss Dr. West and wishing him “much success in his future endeavors”.
After the news of the tenure dispute became public, the faculty members of the African American studies department and the divinity school, where he has his Harvard appointments, voted to start the tenure process for him.
News of his decision to leave Harvard spread quickly.
Walter Johnson, a colleague from the Department of African and African American Studies, said people were “shocked” and “deeply dismayed”. “He is an intellectual giant and a moral polar star, and it is very sad for the university to see him go,” said Johnson.
Dr. West’s dispute over stability has put a new focus on complaints that black and Latino professors are underrepresented in the ranks of full professors, not just at Harvard. This caused enough dismay at Harvard that university president Lawrence Bacow said at a faculty meeting last week that he was “firmly committed to the success of our black faculty”.
Dr. West said in an interview with The New York Times last week that he did not know why his request to be considered for a stable position had been rejected, but that he thought it might have something to do with his age and his support. the Palestinian cause, which he called a “taboo” issue at Harvard.
Dr. Jones said she hoped Dr. West would still teach at 90. “I think he still has some of his best work ahead of him,” she said.