Deep Concern about the Washington State Univ's plans to eliminate the Dept of Community Studies and the Rural Sociology

To:  President of the Washington State University

President Elson Floyd
French Administration 422
Pullman, WA 99164-1048

May 8, 2009

President Floyd:

It is with great displeasure that we have learned of Washington State University’s plans to eliminate not only the Department of Community Studies and the Rural Sociology, but also the positions of the faculty within this department. As an international organization made up of community and rural studies scholars from all over the world, we (RC40) are shocked and dismayed that in these fiscally challenging times, your university has chosen to turn its back on individuals that are integral in making your university relevant at the local, national and international levels.

The WSU Department of Community Studies and the Rural Sociology is at the cutting edge of survey methodology in the United States, community development projects—particularly the newly formed Latino community project—and agricultural and food studies. Your faculties contribute to interdisciplinary research projects and provide an invaluable service to undergraduate and graduate education at Washington State University. In an era where agriculture and food are at the forefront of global debates, media discussions and popular culture, you are opting to get rid of the very people that research these important issues and are able to articulate these issues to a diverse population of people, including community leaders, farmers, and politicians. We hope that you will reconsider your decision, as losing these faculty members and their skill sets will be a great loss to the state of Washington, national and international scholars and policy makers, and your academic community.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Deep Concern about the Washington State Univ's plans to eliminate the Dept of Community Studies and the Rural Sociology Petition to President of the Washington State University was created by Research Committee 40, International Sociological Association and written by Masashi Tachikawa (mtachi@mx.ibaraki.ac.jp).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.