Editorial | Two serious faculty losses

Faculty hires and departures are often made with little notice from the University community. But, last week, one of Penn's most notable scholars has announced his appointment at another university.

Religious Studies professor Michael Eric Dyson's departure from Penn for Georgetown seems sudden, given his short five-year term here.

And, with the amount of controversy that he has seen in his years here, there are some who are probably not too upset to see him leave.

Although his appointment was officially within the Religious Studies department, Dyson's work and research was firmly grounded within African American culture and the hip-hop movement specifically.

Whether being attacked by right-wing pundits like David Horowitz as being one of the most dangerous academics in America, or whether visiting comedian Stephen Colbert for an appearance on the popular The Colbert Report, Dyson continually made his way into the headlines and his name known nationwide.

His scholarship, which some would label unconventional, brought a fresh voice to the Penn community, and one that was ready to connect with students interested in hip-hop - his new book, Know What I Mean?, features a forward by Jay-Z and an afterward by Nas, respectively labeled "Intro" and "Outro."

And though it seems that his departure from the University was amicable - unlike the departure of Cornell West, whom Dyson is often compared to, from Harvard - Penn should still regret having let such an indispensable academic slip away.

Resignations like Dyson's have to be expected, of course - few scholars stay in one place forever.

But, coupled with the recent loss of Elijah Anderson, a long-time Sociology professor, and another well-regarded scholar of African American culture, Dyson's announcement becomes more significant.

Either of these two scholars' departures would be significant in their own respect.

But for two such well-known professors of African American culture to leave at the same time is a big loss to the University. Academics of their stature are all too rare here in the fields in which they did important research. Penn should do all it can do ensure that this sort of research will continue at the high levels that these professors brought to the University.

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