A black Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor began a hunger strike yesterday to protest the university's refusal to grant him tenure, saying MIT's decision was based on racism.
Professor James Sherley, a 48-year-old biological engineering professor, said he has been treated unfairly during his time at MIT, saying he often had to share his lab space with other faculty and wait longer for research funds in addition to being denied tenure, although he feels he is qualified.
"I want to bring attention to racism," he said. "They need to fix the problem."
MIT officials have defended the decision to not offer Sherley tenure, saying the tenure process is selective. After he was denied two years ago, Sherley formally appealed to then-MIT Provost Robert Brown - now president of Boston University - who denied the appeal.
After Sherley contested Brown's appeal, MIT released a statement, saying the university held an independent review of Sherley's appeal and determined there was no reason to question the review's legitimacy. In December 2006, MIT's provost told Sherley the university would no longer review his tenure case, according to Inside Higher Ed.
MIT spokeswoman Patti Richards directed The Daily Free Press to the MIT statement but declined to comment further.
"This review supported the conclusion that the overall review process was adequate and fair," the statement read.
Sherley contends, however, that he was met by strong opposition from Brown when he appealed MIT's decision.
"[Robert] Brown refused to hear the conflict of interest," he said.
Brown said it was "inappropriate" for him to comment for this article because it concerns a "personnel action" at MIT.
Sherley, who last September was among only 13 professors to receive a National Institutes of Health Pioneer Award -- a grant of $2.5 million over the next five years for future research on adult stem cell development -- said his academic achievements, including grants and published reports, should have made a strong enough case for his tenure.
In January 2005, Sherley's supporters launched an online petition to support his claim for tenure. Since then, the petition has collected 220 signatures, although that number includes fake signatures from the likes of President Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Sherley said he does not have many supporters in his department.
William Thilly, who Sherley said has been supportive of his case, praised Sherley's professional contributions to the university.
"In my professional opinion, professor Sherley has made important original research contributions to the understanding of stem cell biology," Thilly said in an email.
Thilly did not take a position on whether he believed Sherley was denied tenure based on his race.
"Professor Sherley feels very strongly that he has suffered an injustice," he said.
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