Dozens of UMass Boston students packed into the provost’s office on Thursday, staging a sit-in to demand that Africana Studies senior lecturer Dr. Keith Jones be reinstated after administrators told him last spring that his continuing appointment would not be renewed. Organizers accuse the university of retaliating against the department for its anti-racist advocacy and say the push to keep Jones has drawn broad campus support, including a petition with nearly 1,800 signatures. The protest unfolded on the Dorchester campus and quickly drew attention from the faculty union and community allies.
According to Boston 25 News, students occupied the provost’s office while calling on administrators to reverse the personnel decision, which the university has described as a budget move tied to “financial reasons and decreased enrollment.” The outlet reported that some students called the news “extremely upsetting” and that Jones and his colleagues have filed multiple Department of Labor Relations grievances and are considering additional legal action. Organizers also told Boston 25 that they were informed a decision on Jones’s employment could come by the end of the day.
The petition circulated by campus organizers lists 1,752 signatures at the time it was viewed and characterizes Jones’s removal as retaliation for union activity and advocacy, according to the petition page. The Action Network petition, sponsored and promoted by the Faculty Staff Union and allied groups, specifically urges Provost Joseph Berger to reinstate Jones.
What Students Say
Student leaders say they turned to a sit-in after earlier campus conversations failed to move administrators and in order to ratchet up public pressure on the university. Kayin Walker, who organizers say has taken six of Jones’s classes, described the action as a display of persistence and solidarity. The UMass Boston directory lists Jones as a senior lecturer in Africana Studies, and students describe him as a longtime mentor.
Union Support And Legal Claims
The Faculty Staff Union has publicly lined up behind Jones and launched a petition drive calling for his reinstatement, according to the union’s website. The Faculty Staff Union and the petition materials state that Jones and other Africana Studies faculty have filed Department of Labor Relations grievances as well as complaints with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and organizers say further legal challenges could follow if the university does not change course.
A Longer Pattern Of Tension
Critics point to what they describe as a years-long pattern of friction between Africana Studies and campus leaders, saying canceled searches, leadership changes and cuts to course offerings have left the program exposed. Reporting by the Bay State Banner documents faculty complaints to the state that allege discrimination and disinvestment that predate the current dispute. That history is part of why students and faculty say Jones’s termination feels like another chapter in an ongoing pattern rather than a one-off budget decision.
Legal Implications
If the Department of Labor Relations grievances and MCAD complaints move ahead, they would trigger administrative reviews that could lead to hearings or settlement talks, and unresolved MCAD claims can end up in court, legal experts say. Previous coverage has outlined how MCAD investigates such complaints and gives both sides a chance to respond before any litigation is pursued, according to WGBH.
Organizers say they intend to remain on campus and keep up public pressure while they wait for an administrative decision on Jones’s status. This story will be updated if UMass Boston or the union issues new statements or if any of the pending filings become public.
