2015 Approved Resolutions
The following resolutions were approved at the August 22nd business meeting.
Click here for a PDF version of the Approved Resolutions.
RESOLUTION 1: Call for SSSP to stand in solidarity with colleagues who have suffered extreme attacks from known White supremacist and other hate groups seeking to silence the voices of activist scholars as members of civil society and campus communities.
Submitted by Jay Borchert and Lori Sexton, Chair and Vice-Chair Law and Society Division.
Whereas 2015 has seen a relentless string of attacks upon the value of activist scholars to civil society and the campus community; and
Whereas these attacks have been perpetrated against scholars of color, LGBT scholars, women, and scholars with marginalized identities, such as the extreme examples of Saida Grundy and Zandria Robinson; and
Whereas this opposition to the inherent value of activist scholars has come from mainstream sources such as CNN, Fox News; and
Whereas further opposition and threat has come from fringe and hate groups such as the National Youth Front; and
Whereas the Southern Poverty Law Center recognizes the National Youth Front as a White supremacist organization and a hate group; and
Whereas such attacks place our colleagues at immediate risk by threatening safety and security, to include the ability to earn a living; and
Whereas these are public and directed attacks upon faculty members and credentialed scholars within academic institutions; and
Whereas attacks of this manner are an affront to academic researchers and scholars in their service to society; and
Whereas a unified, supportive response to counter this trend has been sorely lacking from our professional organizations and universities alike; and
Whereas the Society for the Study of Social Problems stands in firm solidarity with our colleagues who have experienced and who are now experiencing these broad-based assaults; and
Whereas the Society for the Study of Social Problems views these attacks as attempts to limit the scope of our research, practice, teaching, civic and campus engagement; and
Whereas the value of activist scholars can be seen in the expanding landscape of rights and citizenship for people of color, LGBT citizens, citizens with disabilities, and women; and
Whereas academia requires a diversity of perspectives and voices to include women, scholars of color, LGBT scholars, disabled scholars, and those with marginal identities;
Be it resolved that the Executive Officer of the Society for the Study of Social Problems will pen a letter to the editor of The New York Times, with duplicates sent to the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and the San Francisco Chronicle, declaring our solidarity with scholars in the U.S. and abroad who are attacked by hate groups; and
Be it resolved that the Executive Officer of the Society for the Study of Social Problems will pen a letter to the university presidents and department chairs at the institutions of Saida Grundy and Zandria Robinson, declaring our solidarity with scholars who have been attacked by hate groups; and
Be it resolved that the Society for the Study of Social Problems will communicate our support and solidarity to known targets of the recent attacks of Saida Grundy and Zandria Robinson; and
Be it is resolved that the Society for the Study of Social Problems reiterates its steadfast support for activist scholarship in service to the discipline and society.
CITATIONS
Hetter, Katia. 2015. “Online fury over Boston University Professor’s tweets on race.” CNN.com Retrieved August, 2015. http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/13/living/feat-boston-university-saida-grundy-race-tweets/
Clause, Kyle. 2015. “Controversial BU Professor Saida Grundy Calls for Dialogues on Race. Boston Magazine.” Retrieved August, 2015. http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2015/05/13/boston-university-professor-saida-grundy-tweets/
LeBeau, Jordan. 2015. “White supremacists target embattled Boston University professor.” Boston.com. Retrieved August, 2015 www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/07/02/
Fox, Jeremy C. 2015. “BU is accused of bias against Blacks.” The Boston Globe. Retrieved August, 2015. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/05/15/director-african-center-set-for-closure-says-may-move/yP8CdS0PuGQQbJ0YrAv6fJ/story.html
Hennessy, Alexandra. 2015. “Memphis professor behind racist tweets resurfaces at crosstown school.” FoxNews.com. Retrieved August 2015. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/06/memphis-professor-behind-racist-tweets-resurfaces-at-crosstown-school/
Timpf, Katherine. 2015. “Sources” Zandria Robinson Not Fired Over Tweets.” National Review. Retrieved August 2015. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/420604/sources-claim-zandria-robinson-was-not-fired-over-her-tweets-katherine-timpf
Ahle, Steven. 2015. “Black Professor Blames Whites for Her Menstrual Problems….ROFLMAO.” Conservative Firing Line. Retrieved August, 2015. http://www.conservativefiringline.com/black-professor-blames-whites-for-her-menstrual-problemsroflmao/#more-11025
RESOLUTION 2: Expression of Gratitude
Our sincere appreciation is expressed to all of the officers, committee chairs, and members who have made this program possible and whose efforts maintain the vitality of the SSSP. First, we thank President Marlese Durr for her outstanding leadership in developing the 65th Annual Meeting and its theme: Removing the Mask, Lifting the Veil: Race, Class, and Gender in the 21st Century. We also thank this year’s Program Committee Co-Chairs David G. Embrick and Bandana Purkayastha and committee members David L. Brunsma, Mary G. Hovsepian, Nancy J. Mezey, Opolot Okia, Rogelio Saenz, and France Winddance Twine; and Local Arrangements Committee Chair Nancy J. Michaels and committee members Kasey Henricks and Julie F. Hilvers. We thank the staff of the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel for fine accommodations, and we particularly want to recognize the efforts made by Kim Enderle, Senior Conference Services Manager.
The Society wishes to express its gratitude to Past President Anna Maria Santiago for her years of leadership; Vice-President Nancy J. Mezey for managing the resolutions process; Glenn W. Muschert for his service as Secretary; and Susan M. Carlson for her service as Treasurer. We especially want to thank Susan for her extraordinary service over the years. She has served the Society faithfully as Treasurer from 2003-2005 and from 2009-2014. From 2005-2008, she served as the Society’s Investment Advisor. She will return to this position for the 2015-2018 term.
The Society also thanks David A. Smith, President-Elect; Ronnie J. Steinberg, Vice-President Elect; Board of Directors: John G. Dale, Heather Dalmage, Cheryl A. Boudreaux, Keith M. Kilty, outgoing members Antwan Jones, Phoebe Morgan, Raymond J. Michalowski, student representatives of the Board Margaret R. Austin Smith (outgoing) and Kathryn M. Nowotny; Shannon M. Monnat, Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions (outgoing); Pamela Anne Quiroz, Co-Editor of Social Problems and Nilda M. Flores-González, (outgoing) Co-Editor of Social Problems; Claire M. Renzetti, outgoing Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee Chair and committee members Tracy L. Dietz, Stephani Williams, and Susan M. Carlson; Mary C. Bernstein, outgoing Editorial and Publications Committee Chair and committee members Paul C. Luken, David Fasenfest, Nancy Naples, Corey Dolgon, Gregory D. Squires, Claire M. Renzetti, Becky Pettit, Pamela Anne Quiroz, and Nilda M. Flores-González; and the University of Tennessee and the Department of Sociology for hosting the SSSP Administrative Office. A special thanks to Executive Vice President for Planning of Wright State University and the Sage journal Critical Sociology for their financial contributions to program activities and to Oxford University Press for its financial contribution to the conference bags.
The Society wishes to thank Executive Officer Héctor L. Delgado, Administrative Officer & Meeting Manager Michele Smith Koontz, Information Technology Specialist Sharon Shumaker, Administrative Assistant Marisa Stone, Graduate Research Associate & Webmaster Douglas Oeser, and the chairpersons and co-chairpersons of the 22 Divisions for continuing to make the organization run and do all that it does year in and year out.
