Recent Firing of Archaeology Researchers at Univ. of PA's Museum

Dear colleagues,

You may have heard that on 19 November 2008 University of Pennsylvania Museum's 18 Research Specialists in Archaeology have been fired from their positions while their associated laboratories and centers such as MASCA (Museum Applied Sciences Center for Archaeology) have been shut down. Senior researchers such as Patrick McGovern, David G. Romano, Simon Martin, Barbara J. Hayden, Philip G. Chase, and Naomi Miller are among the fired.

There is now an online petition requesting the Museum and University administrators to reconsider their decision.

I would like to encourage all to sign and support the cause, and distribute as widely as possible in the archaeological community.

Petition

Nota bene: When signing the petition, please enter your affiliation in the
box labeled "optional" (It is not clearly labeled as "affiliation").

Let us stand for the future of archaeological research in academia!

Many thanks, and best wishes
Ömür

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Ömür Harmansah
Assistant Professor of Archaeology
and Egyptology and Ancient Western Asian Studies
Brown University