URI Professor Who Has Called Out University for Racist Practices Is Placed on Leave
Monday, February 08, 2021
A professor at the University of Rhode Island (URI) who has accused the school of “Jim Crow” racism has been placed on administrative leave by the University — and now he is firing back.
Last fall, URI Professor Louis Fosu said that there has been a "deliberate and racist demonizing exclusion of highly qualified African-Americans/Blacks, Latinos/Hispanics and Native Americans from positions of senior leadership and other positions throughout out the university” — and called for URI to hire a black candidate following outgoing President David Dooley’s departure.
After URI officials said that Fosu made statements that were “unwarranted, unsubstantiated, and defamatory personal attacks” on colleagues in December, Fosu was placed on leave in January.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“Our serious concerns relate to certain aspects of your behavior and interactions with students in your classes, such as assertions of coercion, exploitation, and intimidation relating to student expression that obstruct the free pursuit of learning for students; and, your behavior as an employee and your interactions and communications with University faculty and staff, including individuals in your department, that have been hostile, disrespectful and/or noncollegial as well as disruptive to departmental and university functions and operations, and potentially damaging to the reputation of individuals and the university,” wrote Donald DeHayes, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, in his letter to Fosu placing him on leave.
READ: Fosu’s 21 Page “Declaration of Diversity”
On February 4, DeHayes announced he will be stepping down from his position in the coming year — and Fosu responded.
“They know we are coming after them. We will end this racist nonsense that Blacks and Latinos at the University of Rhode Island have silently and painfully ingested for 128 years! We will get our African-American President and Latino Provost in spite of intimidation and bearing false witness against me,” said Fosu at the news of DeHayes’ departure.
Former U.S. DOJ Lawyer Represents Professor Pro Bono
Fosu is now being represented by DC-based attorney Michael Volkov.
Volkov spent 17 years as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legislative Affairs of the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a letter to URI officials dated January 20, Volkov said he believes there is “more than enough evidence to establish the Mr. Fosu is the subject of race-based retaliation and discrimination.”
“The University’s latest action placing Mr. Fosu on administrative leave obviously compounds the importance of the issues raised by Mr. Fosu and his students concerning diversity and inclusion issues, and raises a significant concern that the University’s recent employment action is a targeted retaliation for Mr. Fosu’s raising the issue of diversity and inclusion,” wrote Volkov.
“Just as important, the University’s current action and investigation raises serious concerns that Mr. Fosu may be the subject of illegal race-based discrimination,” Volkov continued. “Such an action in these circumstances, would be a dangerous and ill-advised action for the University to take. Given the University’s rash and intemperate initial steps and the surrounding context, we are hopeful that this matter can be quickly resolved and Mr. Fosu reinstated to his position and teaching assignments.”
“Professor Louis Fosu will remain on administrative leave until the University completes its investigation,” said URI spokesperson Linda Acciardo. “There is no specific timeframe.”
Fosu, who has a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center, M.B.A. from Pace University, and B.A. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY, came to URI in 2019, after having served as a special adviser to U.S. and African government officials.
“Throughout my enlightenment to equity, law and policy in Washington DC, I have witnessed Mike Volkov as a man of love, a man who has undying faith in the goodness of humankind and a man who upholds equity and justice,” said Fosu. “He is my true friend and brother, I love him.”
“At the core of this struggle together, beyond courage and policy, this nation is going to need an abundance of overflowing love to cleanse the hate they ask us to digest and to nourish young beautiful intelligent minds with racism so vile,” Fosu continued. “This is an unforgivable sin.”
Latest at URI
URI is wrestling with another issue — one of QAnon’s most loyal and highest-profile followers, former National Security Advisor to Donald Trump retired General Michael Flynn — a Rhode Island native and URI grad who received an honorary degree from his alma mater in 2014.
“The University is deeply troubled by the recent reports regarding QAnon and Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn's perceived connection to this organization. The president has consulted with the provost [Donald DeHayes - who recently announced his retirement], who leads the University's Honorary Degree Committee, and has requested the Committee to convene to discuss this developing situation,” said Acciardo in January.
To date, the committee has been silent on Flynn.
“The fact that URI has not loudly rescinded this honorary doctoral degree reveals the power of hate. In society, Provosts, and academia in general are witnessed as the crème [de la crème] of knowledge and awareness always seeking truth and justice—yet this deep disdain for African-Americans/Blacks is so normalized and rationalized, it is blindly accepted as ok culture,” said Fosu. “It is not okay.”
“Sometimes we have to remind those in power with a loud explosion of love and justice, and this is happening now with URI,” said Fosu. “It is a fight towards equality and it is about to get very ugly because, in the hegemonic fight against a white dominant culture of hate, there are a lot of us with exquisite academic credentials to expose. We teach the hate."
Editor's Note: A prior version stated Fosu had hired Volkov; it has been corrected to clarify the representation is pro bono.
Updated Tuesday February 16, 2021 8:09 AM