USD Professor on Leave Over Political Comments
A University of South Dakota faculty member has been placed on administrative leave due to public statements made regarding the death of American political activist Charlie Kirk.
Phillip Michael Hook, a longtime professor within the College of Fine Arts made comments on Facebook calling Kirk a “hate spreading Nazi” and said that Kirk’s family deserved better.
This prompted action from South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden who shared Hook’s statement on the platform X. The governor’s post said, “When I read this post, I was shaking mad. The Board of Regents intends to FIRE this University of South Dakota professor, and I’m glad.”
The Volante reached out to the governor’s office for further comment and was referred back to Rhoden’s post.
His statements online garnered the attention of both university administration and the South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR).
The SDBOR gave The Volante the following statement. “As the state’s public university system, it is essential for our institutions and employees to promote constructive dialogue based on mutual respect. When faculty and staff discuss or write about issues of public concern, they must recognize their roles as educators and their standing in their communities, which brings added obligations.”
The board explained that their role is to ensure that South Dakota institutions are effectively preparing students to engage with civility.
Hooks placement of leave has sparked attention online with some students creating a petition to bring Hook back to USD’s campus. As of publication, there are 5,190 signatures in support of reinstating Hook.
To help the wellbeing of students affected, the College of Fine Arts Dean Bruce Kelley and Department of Art Chair Lauren Freese led a Q&A talk-back with fine arts students.
This talk-back was held on Tuesday, Sept. 16 in the evening. The meeting was dedicated to the wellbeing of students, to discuss the impact of classes in the short-term and to listen to student concerns/offer support for those who need it.
To protect the privacy of students who attended, student media was asked not to attend the talk-back.
If any students want to submit a Letter to the Editor or comment on Hook’s leave outside of the context of that meeting, they can contact either The Volante, Coyote News or KAOR.
