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

