<div dir="ltr"><span class="" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:20px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div><span class="" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:20px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></div>On Monday, November 10, 2014 about 70 Friends of James Kilgore held a press conference outside the Henry Adminstration building on the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign campus. They encouraged the Board of Trustees, meeting this Thursday, to reinstate Dr. Kilgore.</span><div><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px"><br></span></font></div><div><div class="gmail_signature"><span class="" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:20px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent">After a<em style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"> </em>right-wing attack in the local newspaper, Kilgore was fired this last Spring. He is not allowed to teach or work at the University of Illinois.</p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent">A story at <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/11/10/u-illinois-board-receives-report-recommending-reappointment-ex-convict" style="text-decoration:none;color:rgb(116,51,153);border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><em style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent">Inside Higher Education</em></a> was published today with news of a final report regarding Kilgore’s hiring, as well as an interview with him responding. We are also publishing a copy of the report from the committee appointed by Provost Ilesanmi Adesida  and chaired by Professor Matthew Wheeler.</p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent">You can read the full report here: <a href="http://publici.ucimc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Adesida-Committee-Hiring-Process-Review-May-20146.pdf" style="text-decoration:none;color:rgb(116,51,153);border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent">Adesida Committee-Hiring Process Review — May 2014(6)</a></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent">Below is the statement by William Sullivan [pictured above], a UIUC professor in Landscape Architecture and member of the Friends of James Kilgore. </p></span></div></div><blockquote class="" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:40px;border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;border-width:initial;border-color:initial;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px"><div><div class="gmail_signature"><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"Good morning, my name is William Sullivan. I’m a professor of Landscape Architecture in the College of Fine and Applied Arts. I’ll provide some background and comments this morning followed by Professors Merle Bowen, D. Fairchild Ruggles, and Teresa Barnes.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"On behalf of the Friends of James Kilgore, we thank all of you for coming out today to show your support. We also appreciate the many of thousands of people on our campus and beyond who have signed petitions, written email messages to the BOT, and taken other actions to seek Dr. Kilgore’s reinstatement at the University.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"This is a long story, but let me start in the middle by taking you back to last April. It was then that Provost Adesida told Dr. Kilgore that he would no longer be employed by the University. But on May 13th, largely in response to the public outcry over the removal of Dr. Kilgore, Provost Adesida established a committee tasked with reviewing “the hiring processes that were used by the Urbana campus, and relevant campus units, for the prior and current employment appointments of James Kilgore.”</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"The Provost also charged the committee with providing “findings regarding how employment decisions were made and conclusions regarding the adequacy of hiring policies and processes that were followed.”</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"In addition, the Provost asked the committee to look more closely at the policies for evaluating criminal background in future employment. Professor Ruggles will speak about that part of the committee’s work. I will focus on the committee’s review of Dr. Kilgore’s employment.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"The committee was chaired by Professor Matthew Wheeler of the Department of Animal Sciences. It is clear from reading their report that the committee systematically and energetically addressed each of the tasks identified by the provost. Indeed, they interviewed everyone who was in any way directly involved in employing Dr. Kilgore over the past four years.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"Their findings are no surprise. They concluded that 'the practices used to hire Mr. Kilgore complied with and followed the accepted policies and practices in place at the time of his various appointments.'</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"They further noted that 'all indications are that Mr. Kilgore voluntarily disclosed his prior use of an alias and was open about his criminal convictions...'</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">Based on these findings, the committee made the following conclusions and recommendations:</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">'The record demonstrates that Mr. Kilgore has been a successful employee and has contributed to the scholarly and educational missions of the campus in the academic hourly and visiting specialized faculty positions that he has held over the last four years.'</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"The committee concludes by recommending that 'Mr. Kilgore be allowed to continue to be employed by the university in accordance with the policies that apply to all individuals seeking </span></font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:20px;color:rgb(0,0,0)">employment. Specifically we would endorse the professional judgments of units wishing to hire Mr. Kilgore during the Fall 2014 semester pursuant to the hiring practices currently in place.'</span></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"Let me put this in plain English. The committee found that:</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"• No errors were made</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><span class="" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:20px;color:rgb(0,0,0)">"• No corners were cut</span></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"• No policies were violated in hiring Dr. Kilgore over these past four years.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"• In light of these findings, the committee has called upon the University to re-instate Dr. Kilgore.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"It is our understanding that the Board of Trustees is planning to consider a resolution regarding Dr. Kilgore’s employment at their meeting this Thursday, November 13th. Our understanding is that the Board will consider the findings and recommendations of the review committee. We call on the Board of Trustees to do the following four things:</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"1. Follow the recommendations of the committee and reinstate Dr. Kilgore immediately. This debacle has carried on for far too long. Dr. Kilgore has been denied any income from university employment since May 15th and our university has been denied the skills and experience of an important scholar and an instructor who has twice appeared on the excellent teacher list.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"2. Issue a public statement commending the review committee for its work and findings.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"3. Refrain from further interference in the hiring decisions made by executive officers and Deans.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"4. Recognize the authority of campus administration to carry out their designated duties and responsibilities and remember that the University Statues indicate that the BOT should set policies and secure funding for the University. They should not be engaged in micro- managing our campus or any of the three campuses.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"As you all know, in recent months our campus has experienced a crisis of confidence in our BOT and a series of threats to our academic freedom. Indeed, the unfortunate decision to un- hire Professor Stephen Salaita has caused many in our ranks to question the Board’s commitment to academic freedom and transparent decision-making.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"In the case of Dr. Kilgore and the report commissioned by the Provost, the Board of Trustees has the opportunity to return to the fundamental principles of how a world class university should operate or continue down a path which will further divide and demoralize faculty and students and undermine our ability to carry out our mission.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"It is time for the BOT to re-read the University Statues and return to their traditional role of setting policy and securing funds for our three campuses. They need to get out of the business of micro-managing. We call on them to act on the recommendations of the faculty committee and to immediately reinstate Dr. Kilgore.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"That completes my comments. I’ll be happy to take questions after my colleagues have spoken. Now let me call forward Professor Merle Bowen, Director of Center for African Studies."</span></font></p><p></p></div></div></blockquote><div><div class="gmail_signature"><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:20px;color:rgb(0,0,0)">The following is the <a href="http://www.ucimc.org/files/uploadedimages/Merle%20Bowen%20statement%20on%20James%20Kilgore.pdf" style="color:rgb(0,90,140);text-decoration:none">Statement by Dr. Merle Bowen</a><br></p></div></div><blockquote class="" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:40px;border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;border-width:initial;border-color:initial;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px"><div><div class="gmail_signature"><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"My name is Merle Bowen and I am the Director of the Center for African Studies, a position I have held for the last six years.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"In 2011, I hired Dr. James Kilgore as an academic hourly. During the three years he was employed at the Center, he performed his work effectively and fulfilled his duties far beyond expectation. In April 2014, despite his sterling job performance, the then Interim Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences informed me that the Administration had decided that I and other heads of units (specifically, the Director of the LAS Global Studies Program and the head of Urban and Regional Planning) could not renew Dr. Kilgore’s contract—without an explanation as to why, how, and by whom this decision had been made. A month later, Provost Adesida appointed a committee to review the hiring processes that were used by campus units for the employment appointments of Dr. Kilgore. The committee, chaired by Professor Matthew Wheeler of the Department of Animal Sciences, worked diligently over the summer and submitted their report to the Provost in August 2014.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"The Friends of James Kilgore support the rigor and comprehensive nature of the committee's work and their report. We support their conclusions with respect to Dr. Kilgore's future employment at the University of Illinois.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"As the committee report has shown, the Center for African Studies of which I am the Director, as well as the other units which employed Dr. Kilgore, followed "the accepted policies and practices in place at the time of his various appointments." Furthermore, as I told the committee during my interview, Dr. Kilgore fully disclosed his background to me at the time we proposed hiring him. This background was also fully disclosed to the Dean of LAS at the time.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"We also concur with the findings that Dr. Kilgore has been a "successful employee and has contributed to the scholarly and educational missions of the campus." At the Center for African Studies, he wrote numerous successful grant proposals and played a leading role in developing our U.S. Department of Education Title VI application that was funded in the amount of $2.2 million, putting us on a sound financial footing for the next four years. In addition, he played a key role in conceptualizing and delivering our outreach and educational programs, as well as serving as the main organizer for our highly visible international conferences on campus.</span></font></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent"><font class="" color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span class="" style="line-height:20px">"We hope that the Board of Trustees will follow the findings and recommendations of the committee, which the Provost agrees with, and that Dr. James Kilgore "be allowed to continue to be employed by the University." He is a tremendous asset to our programs and we at the Center for African Studies are eager to have him back in our ranks."</span></font></p></div></div></blockquote><div><div class="gmail_signature"><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:20px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="http://www.ucimc.org/files/uploadedimages/Terri%20Barnes%20Statement%20on%20James%20Kilgore.pdf" style="text-decoration:none;color:rgb(0,90,140)">Statement by Dr. Teresa Barnes</a></p><p style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-style:initial;border-color:initial;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:24px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:20px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></p></div>
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