By Michael Kennedy
Outside the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, April 8, students silently held signs showing their support for Karen Britt, a professor who was not recommended for tenure by Provost Shirley Willihnganz. Inside, more students lined the walls, wearing black as a sign of solidarity and buttons with Britt’s name on them. At the end of the meeting they presented University of Louisville President Dr. James R. Ramsey with 47 letters supporting Britt and a petition with nearly 200 signatures.
“We want both President Ramsey as well as the board members to understand just how critical of an issue this is for the students here at the University of Louisville,” said Tracy Eckersley, a Ph.D. student in art history.
Britt is an assistant fine arts professor who specializes in late antique and Byzantine art and archaeology. She is currently serving as academic supervisor to seven of 21 art history graduate students and has been at U of L since 2003.
U of L Student Government Association President O.J. Oleka passed around a letter written by students in support of Britt at the board meeting. Oleka said he was not taking a side on the issue, but that the letter showed the concerns of his constituents.
Willihnganz said professors undergo a tenure review at the end of their fifth year of teaching and during the sixth year the review works its way through the various levels of the university. The professor’s department chair, dean of the college and the provost all review the professor before it goes to the Board of Directors. According to Eckersley, Britt received recommendations until it reached Arts and Sciences Dean Blaine Hudson, who did not recommend her, and Willihnganz, who also did not recommend her.
“At this point, Dr. Britt has filed a grievance and the grievance committee will be deciding whether or not they will hear that,” said Willihnganz. If her appeal is denied, Britt could still file further grievances.
Willihnganz said she could not discuss Britt’s specific case since it was a personnel matter.
Britt’s attorney, Alton Priddy said, “We’re going to pursue it very vigorously.” He declined to comment further since the grievance is pending.
“From everything I have heard, Professor Britt is a great teacher and clearly committed to students,” said Willihnganz.
The students at the protest seemed to share that sentiment.
“She’s just like one of my biggest inspirations for life, honestly,” said Rachael Ritter, a senior double major in art history and humanities. “Because she’s achieved so much and she just comes to class and gives the material out with such enthusiasm, it makes you want to keep learning it.”
Eckersley, who is from Toronto, Canada, said she came to U of L as a Ph.D. student specifically to study under Dr. Britt, instead of attending a larger or more established art history program.
“If she doesn’t continue at this school, there’s a good chance that I will have to either wait for someone else to be hired or that I myself will have to find another school to study at, even though I’ve spent four years here,” said Eckersley.
Kelly Watt, a Ph.D. candidate in art history, said she has studied with Britt for six years. She said Britt has had a profound impact on the entire university, since her studies span across multiple disciplines.
“I’m here largely because Karen Britt is here,” Watt said.
Willihnganz offered assurances that the university would make sure students would be in a position to complete their degrees.
“Remember that faculty leaves all the time,” said Willihnganz. “This wouldn’t be the first instance of a faculty member leaving when some graduate student was in the middle of something. And so these things get worked out so that students complete degrees…Our goal is to make sure the student isn’t harmed by decisions the university makes.”
If the university ultimately decides not to renew Britt’s contract, she would have another year at U of L. She would have to leave at the end of the next school year.
