Women's Studies professor dismissed
Posted: June 19th, 2008, 9:13 am
In this morning's Western Herald, I can't find it online yet:
Women's Studies professor dismissed for showing music videos in class
By Emily Gibson
Christopher Tower, a part-time instructor who has taught WMS 1000: Media and the Sexes for ten years, has been dismissed from Western Michigan University starting in the Fall 2008 semester.
"The reason for my dismissal after ten years of teaching this course is supposedly due to a complaint received in the President's office by a parent of a student in February 2008 about two music videos ("Smack My Bitch Up" by Prodigy and "How Many Licks" by Lil' Kim and Sisqo) I showed in class as part of a class assignment," said Tower.
Graduate assistant Maria Markus, former student of Tower's and co-teacher of WMS 1000 said of the course content, "They [music videos] are offensive. I don't think Chris would tell you they aren't offensive. The point is to get the student to think about them, and actually understand why they are offensive."
The class has had a positive impact on several students including Aaron Tully. Tully said of the class, "It. . . happened to be the single most interesting class I took across my 5+ years on campus. Not only for the material and the way it was presented, but for the fun-loving and sincere attitude Chris took towards directing the class."
However, not all students enjoyed the class. "I had five or six complaints total that didn't go any higher than the chair of my department." said Tower. "This is the first complaint about these music videos that has gone higher than what I'm aware of. . . you can't please all 200 students per semester every semester."
In February 2008, Tower showed the two videos in question during his class. The next week, Dr. Ashly Kuersten, interim director of the Gender and Women's Studies department, notified him of the complaints.
" there was a complaint filed with President Dunn about the Prodigy and Lil' Kim videos I showed in class. The issue went from the President to the Provost to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to Dr. Kuersten in a round of phone calls and emails. Originally, she was told that students plural and parents plural complained to the president. Later, this was revised to one parent and one student complained. . .Dr. Kuersten told me this was being taken very seriously by the administration, and there was talk of not offering my courses anymore in the future." said Tower.
Tower said he strongly cautions the students of potentially offensive material.
"I have always shown such material with an emphasis on the voluntary choice to such provocative, upsetting, shocking, controversial, even offensive media," said Tower.
Currently, Tower is trying to campaign for his job back. He has been in contact with the Faculty Union, although he is not faculty, and is trying to collect as many letters as possible. His hope is to change Dean Kent's mind and to receive another semester contract to continue teaching WMS 1000: Media and the Sexes.
[. . . some contradictory statements about Facebook and a letter writing campaign that are rather useless. . .] However, Dr. Kuersten has filled the empty teaching position for the fall.
Dr. Kuersten was contacted but was unable to comment on "personnel matters." WMU provost Bassam Harik and president Dunn were unable to be reached for comment by press time.
Women's Studies professor dismissed for showing music videos in class
By Emily Gibson
Christopher Tower, a part-time instructor who has taught WMS 1000: Media and the Sexes for ten years, has been dismissed from Western Michigan University starting in the Fall 2008 semester.
"The reason for my dismissal after ten years of teaching this course is supposedly due to a complaint received in the President's office by a parent of a student in February 2008 about two music videos ("Smack My Bitch Up" by Prodigy and "How Many Licks" by Lil' Kim and Sisqo) I showed in class as part of a class assignment," said Tower.
Graduate assistant Maria Markus, former student of Tower's and co-teacher of WMS 1000 said of the course content, "They [music videos] are offensive. I don't think Chris would tell you they aren't offensive. The point is to get the student to think about them, and actually understand why they are offensive."
The class has had a positive impact on several students including Aaron Tully. Tully said of the class, "It. . . happened to be the single most interesting class I took across my 5+ years on campus. Not only for the material and the way it was presented, but for the fun-loving and sincere attitude Chris took towards directing the class."
However, not all students enjoyed the class. "I had five or six complaints total that didn't go any higher than the chair of my department." said Tower. "This is the first complaint about these music videos that has gone higher than what I'm aware of. . . you can't please all 200 students per semester every semester."
In February 2008, Tower showed the two videos in question during his class. The next week, Dr. Ashly Kuersten, interim director of the Gender and Women's Studies department, notified him of the complaints.
" there was a complaint filed with President Dunn about the Prodigy and Lil' Kim videos I showed in class. The issue went from the President to the Provost to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to Dr. Kuersten in a round of phone calls and emails. Originally, she was told that students plural and parents plural complained to the president. Later, this was revised to one parent and one student complained. . .Dr. Kuersten told me this was being taken very seriously by the administration, and there was talk of not offering my courses anymore in the future." said Tower.
Tower said he strongly cautions the students of potentially offensive material.
"I have always shown such material with an emphasis on the voluntary choice to such provocative, upsetting, shocking, controversial, even offensive media," said Tower.
Currently, Tower is trying to campaign for his job back. He has been in contact with the Faculty Union, although he is not faculty, and is trying to collect as many letters as possible. His hope is to change Dean Kent's mind and to receive another semester contract to continue teaching WMS 1000: Media and the Sexes.
[. . . some contradictory statements about Facebook and a letter writing campaign that are rather useless. . .] However, Dr. Kuersten has filled the empty teaching position for the fall.
Dr. Kuersten was contacted but was unable to comment on "personnel matters." WMU provost Bassam Harik and president Dunn were unable to be reached for comment by press time.
Seriously: What kind of complaint the parent did?
