I have been following the work of the group charged with improving the campus climate for minorities at Iowa State with great interest. I am especially encouraged to read that the implementation committee will be looking for ways to improve accountability and leadership (“Group drafts first plans for better ISU campus climate,” Ames Tribune, Feb. 12).

This is an area in need of serious investigation. For example, Vice Provost Susan Carlson is on record saying that of the 42 professors who came up for tenure last year, six were denied — a success rate of approximately 85 percent (“Professor sues ISU, saying he was denied tenure due to his race,” Des Moines Register, Aug. 11). Two of the six who were denied tenure are faculty who held joint appointments in the American Indian Studies Program — myself and one of my colleagues. In fact, to my knowledge, no faculty who has had a joint appointment with an ethnic studies program has ever received tenure at Iowa State, whether a minority or not.

Are we to believe not a single one of them was qualified for tenure? Certainly, it cannot be because of coincidences. That only leaves the leadership of the university. That is why I believe the situation concerning faculty with joint appointments to ethnic studies programs at Iowa State is in need of serious investigation.

I have queried the administration on the total failure to tenure faculty with joint appointments to ethnic studies programs. To date there has been no response. Perhaps one of the first areas the implementation committee can investigate is the failure in leadership at Iowa State to successfully tenure faculty with joint appointments to ethnic studies programs.

Lawrence W. Gross

Assistant Professor

Religious Studies