With a beginning remarkably different than conventional academic disciplines, Black studies emerged on the American college campus amidst Black power protests and student demands from Black students across the country in the 1960’s (Fenderson et al., 2011). In 1970, due to student protests, the Department of African and African American Studies (AAS) at SUNY-Brockport was established. These movements pushed universities to recognize and institutionalize the study of Black history, culture, and politics. As of now, in 2026, the African & African American Studies (AAS) Department at SUNY Brockport has only two professorsfollowing the wrongful termination of Black Brockport faculty members. Dr. Felix Coy, founder of the AAS department, was allegedly pushed out by his white faculty counterparts. In 2020, Dr. Archie Cephas, Chief Diversity Officer for the State University of New York at Brockport, was wrongfully terminated due to alleged racism from our Brockport President and faculty.  In 2022, Dr. Raphael Outland, of the Department of Counselor Education, was fired amid the backlash and controversy Brockport faced after inviting a Black Panther to speak at an event. In 2025, Dr. William Turner, Assistant Professor of the AAS Department, was wrongfully fired due to alleged unfair treatment from SUNY Brockport’s President and faculty. Following Dr. Turner’s termination, it is alleged that Dr. Douglas Thomas, Associate Professor of the AAS, resigned after being pushed out of SUNY Brockport due to alleged harsh and biased treatment by SUNY Brockport faculty. 

  In this petition, we emphasize the unjust and wrongful termination of Dr. William Turner, calling for his rehiring at SUNY Brockport and continuation on the path toward tenure. His sudden termination lacked transparency for him and his students. He was suspended without pay prior to his termination and ordered not to have any contact with SUNY Brockport students or staff. The decision to terminate him contradicts the values of fairness and due process that our institution claims to uphold. Many of us have seen firsthand the positive impact Dr. William Turner has had through mentorship, high-quality instruction, and steadfast support for students facing academic and personal challenges. SUNY Brockport terminated Dr. Turner following an arbitrator’s ruling on a student's biased incident report and allegedly ignored additional evidence of his innocence of this incident. It is alleged that Dr. Tuner reported this same student for racist remarks in the class two months before his termination, and the university did nothing about it. It is alleged that this student secretly recorded Dr. Turner using racial slurs for a historical lecture on Black history, out of context, to report him. Therefore, it is alleged that this student weaponized the incident bias system because of their failing grade in the class, two weeks before the end of the Fall semester of 2024. 

However, according to SUNY Brockport Student Accessibility Services (SAS), the policies says the following: (1) Instructor-provided lecture notes or transcripts, videos, or audio recordings I am permitted to make in class, (as recommended by Student Accessibility Services) are intellectual property of the course instructor and are provided to me for the sole purpose of meeting the college's regulatory obligation to ensure my equal access to course lecture materials. (2) Under no circumstances am I permitted to, nor will I, release said lecture materials to any other person or entity through any means or media, electronic or print, unless permitted elsewhere in writing by the undersigned course instructor. (3) I will delete, destroy, or return the instructor-provided lecture notes or transcripts, videos, or audio recordings within ten calendar days from the completion of the term for the course. 

Given these policies, the recording and use of Dr. Turner’s lecture appears to contradict the university’s own guidelines regarding intellectual property and the use of course materials. Despite this, the university moved forward with his termination without allegedly fully addressing these concerns or the broader context of the incident. 

Professor Turners' record of achievement exceeds the minimal performance expectations outlined in the departmental APT guidelines. While the policy identifies baseline standards for teaching effectiveness and scholarly productivity, Professor Turners' contributions demonstrate a level of excellence well beyond those thresholds. With at least six peer‑reviewed articles published: some including Street Smart and Book Smart: Charismatic Black Males Culturally Navigating a Two-Year Predominantly White Community College; Estranged Relations: African American Student Experiences with University Police on a Predominantly White Campus; Future Forward Dialogues Toward an Africana Pentecostal Theology of Transformational Leadership in the Nexus of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion— his scholarly output reflects both depth and sustained engagement in his field. These publications not only meet but surpass the department’s expectations for quantity and quality of scholarship at his rank, illustrating a clear trajectory of continued professional growth and future contributions to the discipline.  

In addition to his exceptional scholarly record, Professor Turner has demonstrated distinguished teaching performance that aligns with and exceeds the standards described in the APT guidelines. His receipt of two formal teaching awards at SUNY Brockport underscores his effectiveness in the classroom and his meaningful impact on student learning. These recognitions affirm that his teaching is not merely satisfactory but exemplary, contributing significantly to the academic mission of the institution. When considered alongside his scholarship and service, Professor Turner’s accomplishments reflect a comprehensive professional profile that surpasses the minimal expectations and strongly supports his standing within the reappointment, promotion, and tenure process.