Date: Fri, Mar 7, 2008 Dear Valerie Traub, Chair of Women's Studies, University of Michigan, I am writing to express my dismay at hearing of the denial of tenure to someone that I consider to be one of the finest scholars contributing today to feminist studies, indigenous studies, and religious studies--Andrea Smith. Her work is of tremendous importance to each of these fields and to their intersections, as well as to my own field, American Studies. Her publishing record is impeccable and the continuation and availability of her research is vitally important to many scholarly communities, as well as to other communities, organizations, and individuals committed to social justice. While I respect the autonomy of Women's Studies, and am certain that this must have been a difficult decision for the department, I urge you to reconsider this unfortunate decision. In support of Dr. Smith and of the protest on her behalf, I have sadly canceled a talk I was to give on a panel at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan later this month. I simply, in good conscience, could not have my own work publicly recognized in an institution that disregarded scholarship of the magnitude of Dr. Smith's. Her work is so much more important than my own. I cannot wrap my mind around this decision, and it makes it impossible for me to participate in a panel I was very much looking forward to. I urge you to do what you can to reverse the decision, and to secure the much deserved tenure for Andrea Smith. Scholarly voices of such impact come along so rarely. Please support this important scholar. Respectfully, Sherrie Tucker Associate Professor American Studies University of Kansas