T
hree of the top man-
agers at Wayne State
University Press were
dismissed from their posi-
tions Feb. 7, leaving uncer-
tainty at one of the nation’
s
most prominent publishers
of Jewish studies books
.
Editor-in-Chief Annie
Marten; Editorial, Design
and Production Manager
Kristen Harpster; and Sales
and Marketing Director
Emily Nowak lost their jobs
without a public explanation
and were escorted from the
University Press Building in
midtown Detroit. WSU offi-
cials say they cannot discuss
personnel matters.
After a week of strong
public opposition to the fir-
ings from authors, scholars
and some faculty, as well as
questions from other sup-
porters, WSU announced on
Feb. 14 that it would shift
administrative responsibility
for the Press.
“We have no intention of
dismantling or discontinuing
the work of the WSU Press,”
wrote WSU President M. Roy
Wilson in the statement. “On
the contrary, we intend to
continue support-
ing its important
mission, and
hope to position
and strengthen
the WSU Press
for the future.”
The Press will now report
to Wilson, via his Chief of
Staff Michael Wright, who
is vice president of market-
ing and communications at
WSU and has administrative
responsibility for the uni-
versity-owned public radio
station WDET.
This is a change from the
previous structure, where
the press reported to Jon
Cawthorne, Ph.D., dean of
the Wayne State Library
System and School of
Information Science.
Wright says he plans to
meet quickly with Press
employees, its Board of
Visitors and Editorial Board,
and other constituents to
better understand them and
their concerns.
Tara Reeser will remain
interim director of the Press,
a position she has held since
October 2019.
WSU Press, founded in
1941, has strong connections
to the Jewish community
thanks to its early donors.
Jewish studies is one of its
specialty publication sub-
jects. Typically, the Press
publishes 35-40 academic
and general interest books
and 11 journals annually.
Upcoming books include
a memoir by Guy Stern,
director of the International
Institute of the Righteous
at the Holocaust Memorial
Center in Farmington Hills
and former WSU provost.
The book is scheduled to be
released in May.
News of the staff dismiss-
als had sparked concern,
including from authors, edi-
tors and advisers associated
with the Press who were
worried about its future.
In an interview with the JN
on Feb. 12, two days before
the university’
s decision to
move the Press out of his
department, Cawthorne had
reaffirmed WSU’
s commit-
ment to the Press and con-
firmed plans to expedite the
replacement of the dismissed
staff members.
“The Press will continue,
including its books in Jewish
studies and by Jewish authors,”
Cawthorne said.
24 | FEBRUARY 20 • 2020
Leonard N. Simons
Building, home to the
Wayne State University
Press
Jews in the D
Upheaval at
SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
WSU Press
Backlash to staff dismissals prompts
new reporting shift to university president.
M. Roy
Wilson
WSU
WSU
continued on page 26