LOCAL: RACE WAS A FACTOR IN BLACK PROFESSOR’S FAILED HIRING, TEXAS A&M DEPARTMENT HEAD SAYS
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By Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera and Kate McGee, Texas Tribune
Texas A&M University department head involved in the failed efforts to recruit a Black journalism professor said Friday that then-President M. Katherine Banks interfered in the hiring process and that race was a factor in university officials’ decision to water down her job offer. “The unusual level of scrutiny being given to the hiring of Dr. [Kathleen] McElroy was acknowledged by one administrator to have been based, at least in part, on race," said Hart Blanton, head of the department of communications and journalism. "Regardless of the source of any such pressure, I understand it to be illegal for any employer—much less a public university—to subject a job candidate to stricter scrutiny due to her race or color." McElroy, a 1981 Texas A&M graduate and the former director of the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism, turned down an offer to reboot A&M’s journalism program earlier this month after a fraught negotiation process first reported by The Texas Tribune. What originally was a tenure-track offer was reduced to a five-
revised versions of McElroy’s job offer without his consent. He said he shared materials related to the incident with the university’s legal staff on Thursday, the night before Banks’ resignation was made public. Blanton's one-page letter did not go into specifics, such as how Banks became involved in the process or who acknowledged that race was a factor in the debacle. Laylan Copelin, vice chancellor for marketing and communications at the A&M System, said Friday that the system is in the early stages of an investigation into McElroy’s hiring proThe Academic Building on the Texas A&M University campus on March 26, 2018. cess. That inquiry, he said, will include Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune interviews with Blanton, Banks and year position after conservative back- fallout — misled members of the Facul- others and a review relevant documents lash arose in response to the hire. It ty Senate during a meeting Wednesday and communications. He added that was then lessened again to a one-year by telling them the decision to change system leaders “have read, heard and position from which she could be fired McElroy’s job offer was made solely understood the concerns of our Aggie at any time. McElroy ultimately walked within Blanton’s department and with- community stemming from the attempt away from the negotiations, saying the out her involvement. Banks repeatedly to hire Dr. Kathleen McElroy.” final offer “makes it clear they don’t told professors that she did not approve “We are determined to get to want me there.” any changes to McElroy’s offer letter. the bottom of what happened and why, The collapse of the hire sparked “To the contrary, President Banks inject- learn from the mistakes and do better in outrage and concerns about academic ed herself into the process atypically and the future,” he said. freedom from faculty. Blanton said early on,” Blanton said. Read more at that Banks — who resigned from her He also said he was “shocked” position earlier Friday in response to the to see his signature was used in the
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