Critics of George White Jr., a University of Tennessee assistant professor of history appealing the decision handed down to him to not grant his further tenure and promotion, appeared to stay far from the University Center auditorium Thursday.

Some 500 supporters of the black Harvard alum filled the large room, some sitting and many standing, to listen to statements from various organizations of Knoxville who pledged their support and devotion to White's case.

"If it is necessary I will give the first $1,000 that a good legal challenge is met," said Charles Reynolds, a white professor who said he was denied tenure in 1973 for collaborating with black student groups on campus.

How can UT make itself ready for the world when it is not accepting of the present black faculty on this campus? Ron Sprowl "We will see it does not go unchallenged... As a body I would like us to press the president and the provost of this university to meet and refute this issue and reverse it."

Reynolds said he fought the denial of tenure and found out that the university had gone as far as tapping his office phone because of his involvement with black student's progressive groups. His fight paid off, he said, and two years after being denied tenure from UT the Board of Trustees reversed the decision and granted his tenure.

The rally was hosted by the Black Faculty and Staff Association and attending the event were members of the Muslim Students Association, United Campus Workers, East Tennessee Progressive Network, the Greater Knoxville Civil Liberties Alliance and the UT NAACP student organization.

One theme present was the vocal displeasure of the handling of White's application for tenure and promotion, with the groups calling the action behind the denial political and not a true reflection of the charismatic professor they came to support.

To protect the members of the Black Faculty and Staff Association, former TV personality Ron Sprowl was hired as a spokesperson and he addressed the situation by declaring that UT had to move away from a "culture-plantation mentality" and address the glaring problem of minority faculty not being granted equal privileges, such as promotions.

"How can UT make itself ready for the world when it is not accepting of the present black faculty on this campus?" Sprowl said, challenging UT's "Ready for the World" initiative, which is aimed at diversifying the campus by recruiting students from abroad and educating UT students about world cultures at the International House.

Comparison to Greensboro

Sprowl also made a point in the BFSA choosing the anniversary date of Feb. 1, 2007 to hold the conference when 47 years earlier in Greensboro, N.C., four students from North Carolina A and T attempted a bold plan of protest to desegregate a Woolworths lunch counter. The group was denied service because of their color and so returned to the diner with friends to support them. The group still was denied service. By the end of that week the group had gotten hundreds to join them and Woolworth's finally agreed to desegregate. This led to the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which was set up to direct the activities of students working in the civil rights movement.

In the spirit of that protest Kim Naujock of the East Tennessee Progressive Network took the stage and called for action to find out what happened in the handling of White's denial for promotion.

"I can't believe it is conceivable that in 2007 I would be thinking about this. That Dr. White would be denied tenure...to me that is saying if you stand up for justice and seek out the truth you will be punished," she said. "I urge the University of Tennessee to please, not only to grant Dr. White's tenure but to also call a special investigation into the post matter."

According to Sprowl the decision came to White the day after Christmas from the university telling him that his appeal was being denied and that he was out of a job. Now, the groups hope to spur an answer from UT in response to their criticism of the treatment of White and similar professors who were denied promotion. They are calling it the "DebUT of the New Jim Crow Era."

University figures

In response to the recent allegations coming out against UT, figures have been released by the university that show a low number of minority applications for tenure; however, the percentages tell a different tale.

I can't believe it is conceivable that in 2007 I would be thinking about this. Kim Naujock

According to the percentages released from 1996 to 2006, 431 applicants were reviewed and 409 were granted tenure, which amounts to a success rate of 95 percent. 60 minority faculty tenures were reviewed with 57 approved. 14 of that number were blacks, and 13 were accepted.

These numbers pale in comparison to the 371 white faculty that were reviewed, of which 352 were accepted.

What the numbers do not say are the struggles of the current 439 minority faculty of the university, out of 2,990, who claim they are often passed over for promotion and often lose their tenure for what they say are political reasons.

White will have to choose whether or not to approach Chancellor Loren Crabtree with his appeal, and from there it will be up to the Board of Trustees to review his application.

The battle rages as UT prepares to celebrate Black History Month.