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Comments & Discussion

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There are 15 comments on Ibram X. Kendi Departing Boston University

  1. Prof. Kendi came in with a whirlwind of fanfare. He staffed up an enormous center by university standards and even was named Bostonian of the Year by Boston Magazine. But from the word go, nothing seemed to be moving and now, after eliminating 2/3 of the staff in 2023, the rest will lose their jobs at the end of this academic year. It’s great that the professor now has “an opportunity he can’t pass up,” but in the recent diversity climate, it’s a terrible time to abandon ship at BU and leave the rest of the team to sort their careers out.

    1. It was a Black, female BU faculty member who [spoke up] on his operation. She claimed that for the tens of millions of dollars he spent, there was very little actual research coming out of the Center.

    2. I am sorry to hear that there may have been mismanagement at CAR.
      I just hope that BU stands up for antiracism and does not cave to Trump’s attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

  2. Alumnus

    This is unfortunately an example of mismanagement and not having transparency. I credit the new BU leadership in finally holding the massive failure to have some accountability.

    It is not about the mission of the center but a clear mismatch of skills and ability to use effective resources.

    Professor Kendi tenure was a failure.

  3. This has been a shameful episode of ideological capture and enforcement that could only have happened for as long as it did in elite academia. Culture is shifting, and the new president and provost seem to be meeting the moment with pragmatism and moderation. This is refreshing. Let’s not forget though that many of the trustees, deans, department chairs, and other middle managers who embraced Dr. Kendi and his ideology—and codified it in hiring practices and research and teaching directives—are still in the chain of command. I doubt there will be much introspection.

  4. It’s unfortunate that despite the significant attention and financial support directed toward Dr. Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research, many Black students at BU are still fighting for basic safety and support resources (the Black Student Task Force, BIPOC Mental Health Collective, CASARI, just to name a few). While scholarship and research are important, it’s worth asking how much of the funding and momentum translated into tangible improvements for Black BU students’ quality of life—especially those who are women, immigrants, LGBTQ+, etc.—and how BU will ensure that future racial equity efforts will more effectively do so.

  5. Thank you Dr. Kendi and CAR staff and affiliates for your efforts in this very difficult space. Progress was made toward antiracism despite the somewhat performative nature of the support for these initiatives in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. The all too short journey from that moment in time to the current war on DEI, books, history, and learning is staggering. While we may stagger, we will not fall. BU’s loss is Howard’s gain, and we will take gains wherever we can get them.

  6. As a recent alum, I have followed the center from afar and have questioned the quantity and quality of actual research being produced. I’m left with the impression – however real it may or may not be – that Kendi took BU’s resources for granted and never committed to the excellence that so many of BU’s institutes and centers have achieved.

  7. When Dr. Kendi joined BU, there was so much hope and excitement. As both a BU alum and staff member, I was proud to see the university take such a bold step in advancing racial justice. I even interviewed for a job at CAR because I truly believed in the mission and wanted to be part of that work. At the time, I was disappointed not to get the role—but looking at how things have unfolded, it seems like I might have dodged a bullet.

    There’s no denying that Dr. Kendi is an incredible academic and thinker, but it’s clear that leadership requires a different skill set. Unfortunately, it seems that CAR struggled under his direction, and that’s a real loss for the important work it was meant to do. I hope BU can learn from this and find a way to rebuild in a way that truly supports the mission.

  8. NYU, Temple, American University and so many other colleges have a center for Antiracist Research and activities.

    Why does CAR end at BU with Dr Kendi’s departure?

    Isn’t it worth recruiting its next leader and pushing such important work to new levels?

  9. Thank you, Dr. K! We’ll truly miss you! It’s clear that the financial investment in this initiative hasn’t played out as we’d hoped, resulting in some challenges with resource allocation. While the project may not have met our expectations in terms of effectiveness, it’s a great reminder of the importance of academic rigor and competence. It’s important for the institution to carefully consider how we allocate funding to support our goals in fostering academic excellence. I appreciate the efforts that have been made, and I’m hopeful we can learn from this experience moving forward!

  10. Great work by the new BU President and administration has finally closed this failed enterprise. For those who do not remember, the fanfare and money train- Vertex Foundation donated 4 mln, Jack Dorsey- 10 million. That money could have done a lot of good for the cause is used correctly.

  11. He did no good while here, plundered resources and left his staff to suffer the consequences. He is clearly not a leader and the failure of the center falls squarely on his shoulders. The only blame I have for BU is hiring him to begin with, when there are so many other accomplished black scholars who could have turned Ed the center into something truly groundbreaking. I do believe BU is committed to diversity and I have a lot of faith in our new President.

  12. Why is BU letting this end with Kendi’s departure? The University said there was NO mismanagement of Funds, so I would appreciate it if the comments weren’t replete with people making unfounded claims.

    In this current climate where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are being painted as a “meritocracy for the unqualified”, we need BU to take a stand, and yet here we are, giving up as usual.

    This is disheartening news.

  13. As a contributor to the center, I was invited to his first Zoom meeting to introduce the Center back in June of 2020. I loved his ideas, especially when he stated we must stop personalizing race and instead ask the question “why” when we see inequities. I remember him saying that the opening of the Center in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd was purely coincidental, but that we must take advantage of the “wind at our back” so to speak.

    As the years moved forward, I received many email updates on the Center that introduced new hires and detailed what research the Center was working on. Unfortunately, I cannot recall any results of the research, any plans of action, any implementation of action plans. I’m sad to hear that the Center is closing upon his leaving. The true mark of visionary leadership is that the work continues once a person leaves. The closing of the Center upon his departure may very well be, unfortunately, a statement on his leadership. I hope the administration at Howard University is paying attention.

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