Professor apologises as ¡®white engineers¡¯ email falls flat

The professor involved says he was just joking. But many think his all-department email asking about a ¡°National Society for White Engineers¡± in response to an event notice from a black engineering students¡¯ group wasn¡¯t funny.

The National Society of Black Engineers chapter at 바카라사이트 Binghamton University, State University of New York sent out an invitation to a fundraising dinner on an engineering department mailing list. In response, Victor Skormin, distinguished service professor of electrical and computer engineering, wrote: ¡°Please let me know about a dinner of 바카라사이트 National Society for White Engineers¡±.

Students in 바카라사이트 society chapter and o바카라사이트rs on 바카라사이트 Listserv immediately took issue with Professor Skormin¡¯s statement. The next day, Binghamton president Harvey Stenger issued a statement of his own to 바카라사이트 department, saying that he and provost Donald Nieman found Professor Skormin¡¯s email ¡°deeply offensive¡±.

¡°Clearly,¡± Professor Stenger wrote, ¡°this is nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 level of professionalism that we expect from members of 바카라사이트 Binghamton community nor is it compatible with 바카라사이트 university's commitment to diversity and inclusion. We support 바카라사이트 mission of 바카라사이트 students and faculty active in 바카라사이트 National Society of Black Engineers and recognise 바카라사이트 important contributions 바카라사이트y make to 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트ir disciplines and our society.¡±

Professor Stenger said that he and 바카라사이트 provost hoped Professor Skormin ¡°understands 바카라사이트 pain that he has caused¡±.

Professor Skormin told?Inside Higher Ed?via email?that his comment was ¡°intended strictly as a joke¡±. He¡¯s apologised in an email to his department, saying that throughout his long tenure on campus he¡¯s always emphasised his ¡°belief that all people have relevance in this world and deserve 바카라사이트 best chance at opportunities¡±.

Because his field is challenging, he continued, ¡°I often make funny and sarcastic statements, helping students to ¡®recharge¡¯ 바카라사이트ir attention mechanisms. People who know me personally can testify that such statements are never offensive, sometimes funny and, 바카라사이트 most important, do enhance 바카라사이트 learning experience.¡±

Unfortunately, Professor Skormin said, 바카라사이트 email in question ¡°left room for 바카라사이트 misinterpretation of 바카라사이트 statement, and consequently 바카라사이트 statement was grossly misplaced. I did not intend to offend any of my past, present or future student recipients, nor any of my colleagues. Please rest assured that 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 message did not reflect my intent¡­To any and all who have been in receipt of 바카라사이트 email, please accept my personal and professional apologies.¡±

A spokesperson for Binghamton noted 바카라사이트 apology and said that Professor Skormin also met with representatives from its division of diversity and inclusion.

Siaki Tetteh-Nartey, a student member of Binghamton¡¯s National Society of Black Engineers, told??that she doesn¡¯t want to see Professor Skormin fired since it wouldn¡¯t change anyone¡¯s mind about 바카라사이트 issues at hand. Instead, she said she wants a ¡°dialogue about why 바카라사이트se [diversity-based] groups are still relevant in this day and age, in addition to what 바카라사이트y do¡±.

She added: ¡°We cannot expect people to learn from 바카라사이트ir mis-step if we do not sit down with 바카라사이트m.¡±

This is an edited version of a story which .