To continue getting breaking news and the full stories from The Boston Globe, subscribe today.

The Boston Globe

Arts

Boston.com

Alex Beam

Stirring the pot at MIT

Professor’s account of discussing race, diversity, and inclusion sparks an impassioned response

By Alex Beam

 |  Globe Staff  

  October 25, 2011

MIT engineering professor James Williams is a disturber of the spheres. In 1991 he sat outside then-MIT president Charles Vest’s office, observing a weekly fast to protest the lack of black faculty at MIT and what he called the Institute’s “neo-colonial’’ treatment of black students. Williams is stirring the pot again. An article by MIT physics professor Edmund Bertschinger that appeared in the MIT Faculty Newsletter drove him up the wall. Williams found Bertschinger’s account of discussing diversity questions at “catered luncheons’’ to be precious in the extreme.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

Free access for home delivery subscribers.

Just need to link your home delivery account; one easy step.

Link my home delivery account

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help