After the DU Department of Languages and Literatures posted a job opening for a Lecturer of Japanese, students responded by creating a petition for Professor Setsu Kawada, who they believe is going to be released by the department.
The petition, created by sophomore international studies major Dana Kiel, has garnered more than 315 online signatures as of May 18.
“As students of Kawada Sensei, we know first hand that she is more than qualified for this position, even if she doesn’t have a piece of paper that says so,” states the petition. “It is not just that we like her as a person, though the relationships she builds with students makes them try harder so as not to disappoint, but that she is truly the most challenging, engaging and effective Japanese teacher at the school, and well-deserving of her position.”
Kawada has taught at DU for eight years: six as an adjunct professor and two as a temporary full time professor, according to Kiel. Kiel further stated that two finalists have been chosen for the aforementioned position, but Kawada was not one of them.
“It seems like she’s being excluded on the basis that she doesn’t have a Ph.D.,” said Kiel. “The two finalists have Ph.D.s in linguistics; from what we understand, but [Kawada] does not have her Ph.D.”
Kiel stated that when she originally set up the petition on May 12, it received over 150 signatures in support of Kawada within two hours of its creation. She hopes that the signatures and comments from DU students will reach the department so that Kawada will not be released.
“We want to demonstrate to the department how many people are behind this professor and that she does a great job,” said Kiel. “It’s more about getting the message to them than going over their heads. We would really like to remain on good terms with the department. We are DU students. We pay a lot of money to go here and we deserve to have our voices heard. We still think a certain amount of transparency is deserved and merited.”
First year criminology and sociology major Scott Hancock was one of many students in support of the petition, praising Kawada for her teaching efforts, and stating that he believed her departure would be a mistake for the department.
“I think that the petition and various other forms of outreach from the students says a lot about Kawada Sensei’s abilities as a teacher and educator,” said Hancock. “If the Languages and Literatures Department truly cares about what is best for the students, then they will reconsider their course of action. I understand bureaucracy and politics are at play here, but if that takes priority over what is best for the students, which is the only reason why the department even exists, then what we have is a serious breach of faith.”
Languages and Literatures Department Chair Victor Castellani said that he and other members of the department were unable to comment on the situation at this time.
“None of us can comment because of confidentiality rules about human resources issues,” said Castellani.
