LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Responses to ”A Word from… Abigail Thompson”

Thank you to all those who have written letters to the editor about “A Word from… Abigail Thompson” in the Decem- ber 2019 Notices. I appreciate your sharing your thoughts on this important topic with the community. This section contains letters received through December 31, 2019, posted in the order in which they were received. We are no longer updating this page with letters in response to “A Word from… Abigail Thompson.”

—Erica Flapan, Editor in Chief

Re: Letter by Abigail Thompson Sincerely, Dear Editor, Blake Winter I am writing regarding the article in Vol. 66, No. 11, of Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Medaille College the Notices of the AMS, written by Abigail Thompson. As a mathematics professor, I am very concerned about en- (Received November 20, 2019) suring that the intellectual community of mathematicians Letter to the Editor is focused on rigor and rational thought. I believe that discrimination is antithetical to this ideal: to paraphrase I am writing in support of Abigail Thompson’s opinion the Greek geometer, there is no royal road to mathematics, piece (AMS Notices, 66(2019), 1778–1779). We should all because before matters of pure reason, we are all on an be grateful to her for such a thoughtful argument against equal footing. In my own pursuit of this goal, I work to mandatory “Diversity Statements” for job applicants. As mentor mathematics students from diverse and disadvan- she so eloquently stated, “The idea of using a political test taged backgrounds, including volunteering to help tutor as a screen for job applicants should send a shiver down students at other institutions. Their success, despite their our collective spine.” It is especially pleasing to find her non-traditional backgrounds, is a great confirmation of article grounded in the history of a similar incident and so my belief that great mathematicians can come from any- generous to those who feel differently. where, and that we must help those whose histories have In addition, I thank Erica Flapan for publishing this left them at a disadvantage compared to more stereotypical article. Avoiding troubling issues is always the easiest path. mathematics students. It is good to see the Notices willing to explore controversial I am nonetheless in complete agreement with Dr. topics that are of great importance to the mathematical Thompson that demands for ideological conformity are community and to academia in general. just as antithetical to the ideal of reason to which we Well done! mathematicians strive. We must remain free to hold our own ideologies, as well as to debate policies and methods —George E. Andrews for implementing those ideologies. This includes allowing Past President, American Mathematical Society professors of mathematics to debate how best to ensure that our community can be fair, open, and welcoming to (Received November 21, 2019) people of all backgrounds, and not requiring that everyone subscribe to the same ideas without question. Thompson Abby Thompson’s opinion piece is correct to say that the UC system’s policies are troubling. To the editor: I am grateful for her letter. I applaud your running Thompson’s piece about the ‘diversity criterion’ in hiring. I am not yet sure of my position on this matter: I can see several ways of looking at the issue. But I find Thompson’s *We invite readers to submit letters to the editor at notices-letters essay thought provoking and well reasoned, and it will @ams.org. contribute to my understanding of the issue.

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I know that certain segments of academia will disagree manner. I expect the Notices to NOT give a platform to ad with Thompson’s view. That is not at issue. I know too that hominem attacks and other similar logical fallacies often certain segments will disapprove of Thompson’s opinion used to mask the lack of substantive arguments. Thomp- being aired in the Notices. I write to let you know that my son’s essay does not pass this simple test, as it is very much feeling is otherwise. Whatever one’s opinion about the ‘di- centered on an attention-grabbing comparison that many versity statement’ issue, it is important to hear reasonably people will find obscene instead of reasoning and facts that argued opinions other than one’s own. would support the author’s point. Is there a need to balance Thompson’s piece with an I expect the AMS to take responsibility for the misguided ‘equal and opposite’ piece? Not necessarily, unless such a decisions that allowed this to happen, and also take the piece contributes in the same way to the discussion. It is opportunity to improve the editorial practices at the Notices. enough to call the question, as Thompson does. I thank you for keeping the Notices fresh and useful in Respectfully, the field. Alejandro Chávez-Domínguez Assistant Professor —Mark Saul, PhD Department of Mathematics Executive Director, Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival College of Arts & Sciences A program of the American Institute of Mathematics The University of Oklahoma

(Received November 22, 2019) (Received November 21, 2019) Letter About Abby Thompson The math community values a commitment to diversity To the editor: We are a group of concerned mathematicians writing in re- I applaud Professor Abby Thompson’s principled stand sponse to AMS Vice President Abigail Thompson’s editorial, against mandated diversity statements (AMS Notices, invited by the AMS for publication in the December 2019 66(2019), 1778–1779), and I also want to congratulate the edition of the Notices. In this editorial, Dr. Thompson states Notices for publishing her opinion piece. Loyalty Oath Redux, her personal opinion against the mandated use of faculty in the form of mandated diversity statements, will not ad- diversity statements in hiring decisions and compares such vance the cause of either higher education or social justice. requirements to McCarthyist loyalty oaths. —H. Wu We are all members of many mathematical societies, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics including the American Mathematical Society. Some of University of California at Berkeley us serve on committees in these societies or are chairs of committees in these societies. Some of us are or have been (Received November 22, 2019) chairs of departments, some of us are or have been chairs of search committees, and some of us have written or reviewed Abigail Thompson’s piece in diversity statements as part of search processes. We have all the December Notices thought deeply about the role of diversity statements and Dear editor, related tools, such as student success statements. I am appalled and greatly disappointed by the AMS’s de- We are compelled to write because the AMS leadership’s cision to publish Abigail Thompson’s piece in the Decem- actions have harmed the mathematics community, partic- ber Notices. You have greatly damaged the respectability and ularly mathematicians from marginalized backgrounds. credibility of the entire AMS by bestowing its imprimatur We are writing because we support diversity statements on a piece whose main argument is flat-out fear mongering, as one tool to encourage a more inclusive and equitable by building a false equivalency between certain debatable mathematics profession. We are writing because we wish to hiring practices and McCarthyism. correct the misleading impressions readers might have of To make matters worse, the apology offered on the such statements from Thompson’s editorial: Thompson’s AMS’ twitter by the Notices’ Editor-in-chief reveals a deep opinion does not represent the opinions of many other lack of understanding of both the issue at hand and the members of the mathematics community. We are writing responsibilities of her position. The issue is not that “[the] because not everyone is in a position to raise their voice. piece could be interpreted as representing the views of our We are writing because it matters how our community and professional society,” but rather that by choosing to publish its leaders talk about diversity, especially in our profession’s it, the Notices (and the AMS at large) is effectively endorsing most prominent publication. We are writing because we if not its content, at the very least its tactics. are disappointed by the editorial decision to publish the Of course the Notices should be a forum for discussion piece which contradicts the AMS’s commitment to diver- of all sorts of issues that affect us as mathematicians, but sity affirmed in its own diversity statement (www.ams.org said discussions ought to be conducted in a professional /diversity). Clearly, this is something that people needed

2 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor to talk about, but the AMS has chosen to spark this conver- community. Higher education in the US is shifting; student sation by giving its imprimatur to a piece that undermines populations we serve are changing, and our understanding productive discussion and causes real danger and burden of how to better serve all students is advancing. We need a to the marginalized members of our community. rehumanization of mathematics that can affirm students’ Diversity statements are widely used in academic hiring cultural funds of knowledge while examining and com- as one component to assess candidates’ qualifications for bating its own roles in supporting power structures. We the job. Each statement one requires as part of a hiring need leadership at all levels, from professional societies process—research, teaching, mentoring, service, or diver- to presidents, boards, deans, and chairs, to recognize this sity—helps paint a picture of how a candidate will contrib- reality, advocate for students and faculty from a variety of ute to the work of an institution. Increased use of diversity backgrounds, and move us forward. statements reflects a growing recognition in higher educa- Dr. Thompson’s preface that the letter is her “personal tion that faculty contribute in positive ways to the campus opinion” does not alleviate our concerns, nor does the community by acknowledging, appreciating, and collabo- fact that she seems to be referring primarily to the use of rating with groups of students, staff, and fellow faculty who these documents at the UC system. The fact remains that are diverse along varied axes. In acknowledgment that this the Notices made an editorial decision to give Thompson’s is part of the work of a faculty member and of the hiring essay a national (indeed, international) platform, and in process, we recommend that graduate programs explicitly a prominent position within the publication. Notices is a prepare their graduates to contribute to this work and to publication of the AMS, and Dr. Thompson is identified write and talk about it meaningfully, and we commend the as an AMS officer in her byline. According to Notices editor programs already undertaking this work. Erica Flapan, Dr. Thompson’s position in the AMS leader- There are plenty of legitimate questions about how to ship led the AMS to solicit her letter. These contextual de- use diversity statements effectively and how (more broadly) tails send a message to the profession about how diversity to create diverse and supportive faculties. In order to reduce is viewed by those with power and responsibility in the bias in the evaluation of candidates, hiring committees AMS and a major university department. The AMS and evaluate statements according to criteria that indicate Notices bear responsibility for amplifying views that fly in evidence of these important contributions, grounded in the face of research-based practices and that falsely equate the missions of higher education in general and their in- evidence-based approaches to teaching and professional stitution in particular. Asking for and evaluating diversity practice with the blacklisting of people based on political statements are not quick solutions to the complex challenge ideology, all in direct contradiction of the AMS’s stated of justice and inclusion in higher education, but they can commitment to diversity. help hiring committees to evaluate candidates’ skills in AMS’s own diversity statement claims, “The American doing this portion of our professional work. Mathematical Society is committed to promoting and Diversity statements help assess a candidate’s ability to facilitating equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the effectively teach a diverse group of students. If our goal as mathematical sciences... We reaffirm the pledge in the AMS mathematicians and educators is truly to reach as many Mission Statement to ‘advance the status of the profession students as possible, thinking about diversity and inclu- of mathematics, encouraging and facilitating full partici- sion is necessary. Good teaching is necessarily inclusive. pation of all individuals,’ and urge all members to conduct If we willfully ignore an important area of pedagogy that their professional activities with this goal in mind.” While demonstrably helps more students succeed in math, then merely publishing Dr. Thompson’s letter demonstrates the we will continue to reproduce systems of inequity, and we AMS’s lack of commitment to this statement, the fact that it will do a great disservice to our students. We will therefore was written by and credited to an officer of the AMS raises not be effective teachers. even more serious questions about the statement’s sincerity. Suggesting that actively attempting to include more We strongly disagree with the sentiments and arguments students in mathematics is equivalent to the Red Scare is in Dr. Thompson’s editorial, and we hope that the AMS ignorant (about both history and the present) and danger- will reconsider the way that it uses its power and position ous. Claims of “reverse racism,” which equate critiquing in the mathematics communities in these kinds of discus- privilege with oppressing the privileged, have a long and sions. However, we primarily write this letter to our fellow unsavory history in and beyond higher education. Without mathematicians and students of all kinds who might have understanding the history in which these discussions are wondered if inclusion work is valued in our community. We rooted, it is possible to profess support for the ideal of want students and faculty, especially those with multiple equality while acting in ways that lead to exclusion and identities that are minoritized in mathematics, to know inequity. that many mathematicians see this inclusion work as While Dr. Thompson attempts to spin this issue with integral to our community and identity. partisan wording, diversity statements are a small yet nec- essary step towards creating a more equitable and inclusive

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Signed, Anna Haensch, Duquesne University Aaron Kaestner, North Park University Anne Catlla, Wofford College Aaron Weinberg, Ithaca College Anne M. Ho, University of Tennessee Abba Gumel, Arizona State University Anschel Schaffer-Cohen, University of Pennsylvania Abeer Hasan, Humboldt State University Anthony Bonato, Ryerson University Adam Avilez, Mesa Community College Anton Dochtermann, Texas State University Adam Castillo, Florida International University Anurag Katyal, Palm Beach State College Aditya P. Adiredja, The University of Arizona Aram Dermenjian, York University Adriana Salerno, Bates College Areeba Ikram, Colorado School of Mines Ahsan Chowdhury, Virginia Tech Aris Winger, Georgia Gwinnett College Aida Alibek, University of Illinois at Chicago Asamoah Nkwanta, Morgan State University Aisha Mechery, Bryn Mawr College Ashlee Kalauli, University of California, Santa Barbara Ajeet Gary, New York University Audrey Malagon, Virginia Wesleyan University Alejandra Rincón Hidalgo, ICTP Axel Brandt, Northern Kentucky University Alexander Diaz-Lopez, Villanova University Bahar Acu, Northwestern University Alexander Halperin, Salisbury University Barbara Fantechi, Sissa, Trieste, Italy Alexander Hoover, Assistant Professor, University of Akron Belin Tsinnajinnie, Santa Fe Community College Alexander Rasmussen, Yale University Ben Blum-Smith, The New School Alexander S. Moore, Virginia Tech Ben Ford, Sonoma State University Alexandra Newlon, Colgate University Benjamin Braun, University of Kentucky Alexis Byers, Youngstown State University Benjamin Coté, Western Oregon University Alice Mark, Vanderbilt University Benjamin Dickman, The Hewitt School (NY) Alice Nadeau, Cornell University Benjamin Gaines, Iona College Alicia Prieto Langarica, Youngstown State University Benjamin Levitt, Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program Alison Lynch, California State University, Monterey Bay Berit Givens, Cal Poly Pomona Alison Marr, Southwestern University Bianca Viray, University of Washington Alissa Crans, Loyola Marymount University Bill Rosenthal, CUNY (retired) Aliza Steurer, Dominican University Blake Farman, Lafayette College Allison Henrich, Seattle University Bradley Elliott, Emory University Amanda Hattaway, Wentworth Institute of Technology Brandy S Wiegers, Central Washington University Amanda Knecht, Villanova University Breeanne Swart, The Citadel Amanda Ruiz, University of San Diego Bret Benesh, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's Amber Rosin, Cal Poly Pomona University Amber Verser, Bowling Green State University Brian Birgen, Wartburg College Ami Radunskaya, Pomona College, Claremont Brian L. Walter, The Evergreen State College Amie Wilkinson, University of Chicago Brian Lindaman, California State University, Chico Amy Beth Prager, NCWIT Brian P. Katz, Smith College Amy Ellis, University of Georgia Brittany Stephenson, Lewis University Amy Ksir, United States Naval Academy Brittney Miller, Coe College Amy Parrott, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Brooke Shipley, University of Illinois at Chicago Amy Velchoff, Texas State University Bruce Reznick, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Amy Wehe, Fitchburg State University Bruce Yoshiwara, Los Angeles Pierce College, retired Amzi Jeffs, University of Washington graduate program Caglar Uyanik, Yale University Ana Caraiani, Imperial College London Caitlin Beecham, Georgia Institute of Technology Ana Rita Pires, University of Edinburgh Calvin Jongsma, Dordt University Ander Erickson, University of Washington Tacoma Cameron Byerley, University of Georgia Andrea Arauza Rivera, California State University, East Bay Cameron D Hill, Wesleyan University Andrea Heald, University of Washington Carla Cederbaum, University of Tübingen, Germany Andrea Young, Ripon College Carmen Caprau, California State University, Fresno Andres Mejia, University of Pennsylvania Carol Schumacher, Kenyon College Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez, University of Kentucky Carolyn M. James, University of Portland Andrew Bernoff, Harvey Mudd College Carrie Diaz Eaton, Bates College Andrew Cooper, University of Pennsylvania Carrie Muir, Whatcom Community College Andrew D. Jones, Jr., Florida A&M University Carter Johnson, University of California, Davis Andrew Schaffner, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Casey Monday, University of Cincinnati Angie Hodge, Northern Arizona University Casey Warmbrand, Arizona State University Anil Venkatesh, Adelphi University Catherine Buell, Fitchburg State University Anila Yadavalli, University of Minnesota Cathery Yeh, Chapman University Anita O'Mellan, Youngstown State University Chad Topaz, Williams College Ann Clifton, Cedar Crest College Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, University of New Hampshire

4 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor

Charles D. Camp, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Diane Henderson, Penn State University Cheryl Eames, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Diego A. Robayo Bargans, Universidad de Los Andes Cheryl Grood, Swarthmore College Dominic Canzanese, Villanova University Chiheon Kim, Kakao Brain Doug Burkholder, Lenoir-Rhyne University Chloe Urbanski Wawrzyniak, Rutgers University Douglas Norton, Villanova University Chris Danforth, University of Vermont Drew Lewis, University of South Alabama Chris Rasmussen, San Diego State University Dustin Ross, San Francisco State University Christian Jäh, Georg-August Universität Göttingen Dylan Poulsen, Washington College Christina Edholm, Scripps College Edgar Fuller, Florida International University Christina Eubanks-Turner, Loyola Marymount University Eduardo Dueñez, University of Texas at San Antonio Christine von Renesse, Westfield State University Edward Welsh, Westfield State University Christopher Duffy, University of Saskatchewan Eileen Fernandez, Montclair State University Christopher Hanusa, Queens College, CUNY Eileen Melville, Clemson University Christopher Marcotte, University of Exeter Eileen Murray, Montclair State University Christopher Miles, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences Elaine Lande, University of Michigan (NYU) Elisa Celis, Yale University Christopher Natoli, CUNY Eliza Gallagher, Clemson University Christopher Perez, University of Illinois at Chicago Elizabeth Beer, IDA/Center for Computing Sciences Christopher R. Lee, University of Portland Elizabeth Gross, University of Hawai’i at Manoa Christopher Yakes, Salem State University Elizabeth Kersey, University of Northern Colorado Cihan Can, Florida State University Elizabeth Munch, Michigan State University Clara Buck, Iowa State University Elizabeth Niese, Marshall University Claudio Gómez-Gonzáles, University of Chicago Elizabeth Thoren, Pepperdine University Cody L. Patterson, Texas State University Ellen Gasparovic, Union College Concha Gomez, Diablo Valley College Ellen Goldstein, Boston College Corrine Yap, Rutgers University Ellen Veomett, Saint Mary's College of California Cory Colbert, Washington and Lee University Emek Kose, St. Mary’s College of Maryland Courtney R. Gibbons, Hamilton College Emerald Stacy, Washington College Cristina Runnalls, Cal Poly Pomona Emilie Hancock, Central Washington University Crystal Clough, University of Cincinnati Emilie Wiesner, Ithaca College Cvetelina Hill, Georgia Institute of Technology Emily Braley, Harvard University Cynthia Flores, California State University Channel Islands Emily Cilli-Turner, University of La Verne Cynthia Wyels, California State University Channel Islands Emily Clader, San Francisco State University Dagan Karp, Harvey Mudd College Emily Olson, Millikin University Dana C. Ernst, Northern Arizona University Emily Riehl, Johns Hopkins University Daniel Freeman, St Louis University Emily Winn, Brown University Daniel Groves, University of Illinois at Chicago Emma Gargroetzi, Stanford University Daniel Pollack, University of Washington Eric "Rico" Gutstein, University of Illinois at Chicago Daniel Reinholz, San Diego State University Eric Eager, Pro Football Focus Danielle Champney, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Eric Kuennen, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Danny Bernard Martin, University of Illinois at Chicago Erica R. Miller, Virginia Commonwealth University Dany Waller, Morehead State University Erica Shannon, Pierce College Darren Glass, Gettysburg College Erika Roldan, The Ohio State University Dave Jensen, University of Kentucky Erin Angelini, University of Washington Dave Kung, St. Mary's College of Maryland Erin Meger, Ryerson University David Brown, Ithaca College Erin R. Moss, Millersville University (PA) David Clark, GVSU Erin Wolf Chambers, Saint Louis University David desJardins, MIT Corporation Ernest Guico, University of Georgia David Dynerman, Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub Ernesto D. Calleros, UC San Diego & San Diego State University David Freund, Harvard University Everett Howe, AMS life member, currently unaffiliated David Futer, Temple University F. Patricia Medina, Yeshiva University David Murrugarra, University of Kentucky Fany Salazar, University of Arizona David Neel, Seattle University Federico Ardila, San Francisco State University David Plaxco, Clayton State University Feng Zhu, University of Michigan Debra K. Borkovitz, Boston University Francis Su, Harvey Mudd College Derek L. Smith, N/A Frank A. Farris, Santa Clara University Derrick Wigglesworth, University of Arkansas Frederick Peck, University of Montana Devlin Mallory, University of Michigan Fumiko Futamura, Southwestern University Diana Davis, Swarthmore College Gabriel Dorfsman-Hopkins, UC Berkeley Diana Thomas, United States Military Academy Gabriel Sosa Castillo, Colgate University

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Gabriela Hamerlinck, University of Florida Jianzhong Su, University of Texas at Arlington Gage Martin, Boston College Jieun Seong, Georgia Institute of Technology Gail Tang, University of La Verne Jill Bigley Dunham, Chapman University Geillan Aly, University of Hartford Jill Shahverdian, Quinnipiac University Geoffrey Buhl, California State University Channel Islands Jim Hartman, The College of Wooster George Avery, AHDI Jo Hardin, Pomona College Giovanny Marquez, University of California, Santa Cruz Joanna Wares, University of Richmond Gloria Mari Beffa, University of Wisconsin-Madison Jodi McWhirter, Washington University in St. Louis Gulden Karakok, University of Northern Colorado Joe Moeller, University of California, Riverside Hanna Bennett, University of Michigan Johanna Franklin, Hofstra University Hannah Highlander, University of Portland John F. Gibson, University of New Hampshire Hassan Rafique, The University of Iowa John Golden, Grand Valley State University Hayley Milbourne, University of San Diego John H. Johnson Jr., The Ohio State University Heather Zinn Brooks, UCLA John Meier, Lafayette College Henry Adams, Colorado State University John Nardini, NC State University Hillary Einziger, University of Cincinnati John Rock, Cal Poly Pomona Holly Swisher, Oregon State University John Ross, Southwestern University Hong Qin, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga John Zobitz, Augsburg University Ihsan Topaloglu, Virginia Commonwealth University Johnny Guzman, Brown University Iian Smythe, Rutgers University Jonas D'Andrea, Westminster College (UT) Immanuel Williams, California Polytechnic State University Jonathan Alcaraz, UC Riverside Inbar Klang, Columbia University Jonathan Beardsley, Georgia Institute of Technology Irma Cruz-White, Chipola College Jonathan Dunbar, St. Norbert College Isaac Sundberg, Bryn Mawr College Jonathan J. White, Coe College J. Christopher Tweddle, Governors State University Jonathan K. Hodge, Grand Valley State University J. Toufic Chahin, University of Texas Jordan Kostiuk, Brown University Jaclyn Anderson, University of Nebraska-Omaha Joseph E. Hibdon, Jr., Northeastern Illinois University Jaco Stroebel, University of Pretoria Josh Laison, Willamette University Jacqueline A Hall, Longwood University (Ret) Joshua Batson, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Jacqueline Coomes, Eastern Washington University Joshua Cooper, University of South Carolina Jacqueline Jensen-Vallin, Lamar University Joshua Holden, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology James Álvarez, The University of Texas at Arlington Joshua Mundinger, University of Chicago James Conway, UC Berkeley Joshua Wiscons, California State University, Sacramento James Sheldon, University of Arizona Juan B. Gutierrez, University of Texas at San Antonio Jan Cameron, Vassar College Juan Villeta-Garcia, Emory University Janice Sklensky, Wheaton College Juanita Pinzón-Caicedo, MPIM/ University of Notre Dame Janine Wittwer, Westminster College (UT) Julia Webster, University of North Carolina Asheville Japheth Wood, Bard College Julian F Fleron, Westfield State University Jared Holshouser, University of South Alabama Julianne Vega, University of Kentucky Jasmine Foo, University of Minnesota Julie Rana, Lawrence University Jason E. Miller, California State University Channel Islands Julie Seitz, Youngstown State University Jasper Weinburd, Harvey Mudd College Julie Theoret, Northern Vermont University Jean-Philippe Chassé, Université de Montréal Julien Paupert, Arizona State University Jeff Graham, Susquehanna University Justin Dong, Brown University Jeffrey X. Watt, Indiana U - Purdue U Indianapolis (IUPUI) Justin Lanier, Georgia Institute of Technology Jen-Mei Chang, California State University, Long Beach Justin R. Peters, Iowa State University Jennifer A. Wolfe, The University of Arizona Justin Troyka, York University Jennifer Bowen, The College of Wooster K G Valente, Colgate University Jennifer Danae Berg, Fitchburg State University Kameryn Williams, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Jennifer Kenkel, University of Kentucky Kamuela Yong, University of Hawaii - West Oahu Jennifer Schaefer, Dickinson College Karen Clark, The College of New Jersey Jennifer V. Jones, Fairleigh Dickinson University Karen Thomas, Edgewood College Jenny Switkes, Cal Poly Pomona Karoline Pershell, Association for Women in Mathematics Jeremy F Alm, Lamar University Kate Owens, College of Charleston Jeremy F. Strayer, Middle Tennessee State University Kate Poirier, City University of New York - NYCCT Jess Ellis Hagman, Colorado State University Katherine Kinnaird, Smith College Jessalyn Bolkema, Harvey Mudd College Kathi Crow, Salem State University Jessica Deshler, West Virginia University Kathryn Leonard, Occidental College Jessica M. Libertini, Virginia Military Institute Kathryn Link, University of Utah Jessie Oehrlein, Columbia University Kathryn Van Etten, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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Katie Ansaldi, Wabash College Mark Branson, Stevenson University Katrin Wehrheim, UC Berkeley Mark Daniel Ward, Purdue University Katrina Morgan, Northwestern University Mark W. Ellis, CSU Fullerton Katrina Piatek-Jimenez, Central Michigan University Marko Budisic, Clarkson University Kay Kirkpatrick, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Marla Williams, University of Nebraska Kayden Mimmack, University of California, Davis Marta Civil, University of Arizona Kayla Gibson, University of Iowa Martha Byrne, Sonoma State University Keith M Jones, SUNY Oneonta Martha Precup, Washington University in St. Louis Keivan Hassani Monfared, AMS member Martha Shott, Sonoma State University Kelly Black, University of Georgia Mary D. Shepherd, Northwest Missouri State University Kelly Bubp, Ohio University Mary E. Pilgrim, San Diego State University Kelly MacArthur, University of Utah Mary K. Arthur, Washington State University Kenan İnce, Westminster College (UT) Mary K. Porter, Saint Mary's College (IN) Kimberly A. Roth, Juniata College Matilde Lalin, University of Montreal, Canada Kisun Lee, Georgia Tech Matilde Marcolli, Caltech, University of Toronto, and Perimeter Klaus Volpert, Villanova University Institute Komal Agrawal, University of Georgia Matt Davis, Muskingum University Krista Bresock, West Virginia University Matthew Ando, University of Illinois Kristin Kuter, Saint Mary's College (IN) Matthew Cathey, Wofford College Ksenija Simic-Muller, Pacific Lutheran University Matthew Dahlgren, University of Michigan Kyle Besing, Kentucky Wesleyan College Matthew G. Jones, California State University Dominguez Hills Kyle Ferendo, Brown University Matthew K Voigt, University of California San Diego Kyle Petersen, DePaul University Matthew Salomone, Bridgewater State University Lateefah Id-Deen, Kennesaw State University Matthias Beck, San Francisco State University Laura Lopez Cruz, CUNY Graduate Center Matthias Kawski, Arizona State University Lee Worden, UCSF Max Lahn, University of Michigan Leonardo Javier Rodriguez Gutierrez, University of Illinois at Megan Breit-Goodwin, Anoka-Ramsey Community College Urbana-Champaign Megan Cream, Lehigh University Lewis Sloter, College of Central Florida Megan E. Sawyer, Southern New Hampshire University Lily Khadjavi, Loyola Marymount University Megan Selbach-Allen, Stanford University Lindsey Bosko-Dunbar, St Norbert College Melanie Brown, Champlain College Lior Pachter, California Institute of Technology Melanie Pivarski, Roosevelt University Lisa Bromberg, Springfield College Melissa Sutherland, SUNY Geneseo Lisa DeMeyer, Central Michigan University Meredith L. Greer, Bates College Lisa Marano, West Chester University Meredith Sargent, University of Arkansas Lola Thompson, Oberlin College Michaël Ayoul, École Polytechnique Lori Ziegelmeier, Macalester College Michael Dougherty, Colby College Lorraine Franco, Gwinnett County Public Schools Michael J. Barany, University of Edinburgh Lou Matthews, UrbanTeachers Michael Lacey, Georgia Institute of Technology Luiza Coelho, California Institute of Technology Michael Robert, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia M. Drew LaMar, William & Mary Michael Ruddy, Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Maarten McKubre-Jordens, University of Canterbury Sciences Maddie Schroth-Glanz, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Michael S. Gagliardo, California Lutheran University Madeline Brandt, University of California, Berkeley Michael T. Schultz, Utah State University Maeve L. McCarthy, Murray State University Michael Vischak, The Kinkaid School Maia Averett, Mills College Michael Wills, Layton Christian Academy Makeda Brome, Math Educator Michelle Manes, University of Hawaii at Manoa Malena Espanol, Arizona State University Michelle Snider, IDA/Center for Computing Sciences Marcella Gomez, University of California, Santa Cruz Michole Washington, University of Michigan Marco V. Martinez, North Central College Mikael Vejdemo-Johansson, CUNY College of Staten Island / Margaret Morrow, SUNY Plattsburgh CUNY Graduate Center Maria Basterra, University of New Hampshire Mikahl Banwarth-Kuhn, UC Merced María Cumplido, Heriot-Watt University Mike Tait, Villanova University Maria G Martinez, Arizona State University Milos Savic, University of Oklahoma Mariah Birgen, Wartburg College Mindy Capaldi, Valparaiso University Marianne Korten, Kansas State University Mitch Haeuser, Iowa State University Marie Snipes, Kenyon College Mitchel T. Keller, Morningside College Mario Banuelos, California State University, Fresno Moira McDermott, Syracuse University Marissa Kawehi Loving, Georgia Tech Mollee Shultz, University of Michigan Mark Beering, El Sausal Middle School Monica L. Miles, Cornell University

Online Only Notices of the American Mathematical Society 7 Letters to the Editor

Monica VanDieren, Robert Morris University Ricela Feliciano-Semidei, Northern Illinois University Moshe Cohen, State University of New York at New Paltz Richard Laugesen, University of Illinois Natalia García-Colín, Sociedad Matemática Mexicana Richard McGehee, University of Minnesota Natalie Downey, University of Colorado Rob Oakley, Temple University Natalie Sheils, UnitedHealth Group Robert Campbell, College of St. Benedict and St. John's University Nate Brown, Penn State University Robert Davis, Colgate University Nathan Ryan, Bucknell University Robert Kelvey, The College of Wooster Nathan Warnberg, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Robert Lemke Oliver, Tufts University Neha Gupta, Georgia Tech Robert Smith?, The University of Ottawa Nicholas Battista, The College of New Jersey Robert T Jantzen, Villanova University Nicholas Fortune, Western Kentucky University Robert W. Vallin, Lamar University Nickolas A Castro, University of Arkansas Roberto Soto, California State University, Fullerton Nicole Eikmeier, Grinnell College Robin T. Wilson, Cal Poly Pomona Nicole Infante, West Virginia University Rochelle Gutierrez, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Nicole M. Joseph, Vanderbilt University Rodrigo Gutierrez, University of Arizona Nina Fefferman, University of Tennessee Rodrigo Treviño, University of Maryland, College Park Nina White, University of Michigan Rosalie Bélanger-Rioux, McGill University Nitsa Movshovitz-Hadar, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology Rosalyn LaPier, Environmental Studies, University of Montana Noah Weiss, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Rose Uscanga, Oklahoma State University Noelle Beckman, Utah State University Russell Brown, University of Kentucky Olivia Borghi, University of Washington Sally Collins, Georgia Institute of Technology Omayra Ortega, Sonoma State University Sam Cook, Boston University Oscar Vega, California State University, Fresno Sam Fleischer, UC Davis Paige Helms, University of Washington Samuel Iselin, Georgia Institute of Technology Pamela E. Harris, Williams College Sandra Laursen, University of Colorado Boulder Parker Glynn-Adey, University of Toronto Mississauga Sang-il Oum, Institute for Basic Science / KAIST Patrick Bahls, University of North Carolina, Asheville Sara L. Uckelman, Durham University Paul Salomon, John Burroughs School Sarah A. Nelson, Lenoir-Rhyne University Perla Myers, University of San Diego Sarah Bryant, Dickinson College Peter Chi, Villanova University Sarah Griffith, Brown University Peter Kagey, University of Southern California Sarah K. Salmon, University of Colorado Boulder Peter Muller, Villanova University Sarah Milstein, University of Minnesota Philip Hotchkiss, Westfield State University Sarah Wright, Fitchburg State University Phong Le, Goucher College Sasha Townsend, Tulsa Community College Pierre Albin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Sat Gupta, University of North Carolina - Greensboro Piper H Scott Beaver, Western Oregon University Prateek Kunwar, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Sean Raleigh, Westminster College (UT) Priscilla Bremser, Middlebury College Sean Sather-Wagstaff, Clemson University Priya V. Prasad, University of Texas at San Antonio Selenne Bañuelos, Cal State University Channel Islands Quinn A. Morris, Appalachian State University Semra Kilic-Bahi, Colby-Sawyer College Rachel Skipper, The Ohio State University Shahriar Shahriari, Pomona College Rachel Vale, Portland State University Sharona Krinsky, California State University Los Angeles Rachel Weir, Allegheny College Shelby M. Scott, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Rachelle DeCoste, Wheaton College (MA) Simon Kelly, Santa Clara University Rafael Monteiro, Advanced Institute for Materials Research / Soledad Villar, New York University Matham-Oil, Japan Sonja Petrovic, Illinois Institute of Technology Ralph Pantozzi, Kent Place School Spencer Bagley, Westminster College (UT) Rami Grossberg, Carnegie Mellon University Spencer Hamblen, McDaniel College Ramin Takloo-Bighash, University of Illinois at Chicago Stacy Musgrave, Cal Poly Pomona Ranjan Rohatgi, Saint Mary's College Stan Yoshinobu, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rann Bar-On, Duke University Stefanie D. Livers, Missouri State University Rebecca Durst, Brown University Stephan Sturm, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Rebecca Garcia, Sam Houston State University Stephanie Baker, The University of Texas at Austin Rebecca Gasper, Creighton University Stephanie Chang, UC Davis Rebecca R.G., George Mason University Stephanie Garofalo, Georgia State University Rebecca Santorella, Brown University Stephanie M. Kolitsch, University of Tennessee at Martin Rebecca Segal, Virginia Commonwealth University Stephanie Salomone, University of Portland Rebecca Swanson, Colorado School of Mines Steven Clontz, University of South Alabama Renzo Cavalieri, Colorado State University Steven Greenstein, Montclair State University Ricardo Cortez, Tulane University Stuart Boersma, Central Washington University

8 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor

Sue VanHattum, Contra Costa College in the December issue of the Notices of the American Susan D'Agostino, Johns Hopkins University Mathematical Society (https://www.ams.org/journals Susan Goldstine, St. Mary’s College of Maryland /notices/201911/rnoti-p1778.pdf). She explained Susan Hollingsworth, Edgewood College her support for efforts within our community to fur- Susan J. Sierra, University of Edinburgh ther diversity, and then described her concerns with the Suzanne Lynch Boyd, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee rigid rubrics (https://ofew.berkeley.edu/sites Suzanne Sindi, University of California, Merced /default/files/rubric_to_assess_candidate_ Sylvain Lavau, IMJ-PRG, Université Paris Diderot Talia Fernós, UNC Greensboro contributions_to_diversity_equity_and_ Tarik Aougab, Haverford College inclusion.pdf) used to evaluate diversity statements in Taro Shima, City College of New York the hiring processes of the University of California system. Taylor E. Martin, Sam Houston State University The reaction to the article has been swift and vehement. Taylor Short, Grand Valley State University An article posted at the site QSIDE (https://qside Teri Murphy, University of Cincinnati institute.org/2019/11/19/diversity-statements Terrence Blackman, Medgar Evers College, CUNY -in-hiring-the-american-mathematical-society Therese Shelton, Southwestern University (TX) -and-uc-davis) urges faculty to direct their students not Theron J Hitchman, University of Northern Iowa to attend the University of California-Davis, where Prof. Thomas Dick, Oregon State University Thompson is chair of the math department. It recom- Thomas Goodwillie, Brown University Tim Hsu, San Jose State University mends contacting the university to question whether Prof. Tim McEldowney, West Virginia University Thompson is fit to be chair. And it recommends refusing to Timothy E. Goldberg, Lenoir-Rhyne University do work for the Notices of the American Mathematical Society Timothy Feeman, Villanova University for allowing this piece to be published. Timothy Ferdinands, Alfred University Regardless of where anyone stands on the issue of Timothy J. Huber, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley whether diversity statements are a fair or effective means Tony Samuel, University of Birmingham, UK to further diversity aims, we should agree that this attempt Topaz Wiscons, California State University, Sacramento to silence opinions is damaging to the profession. This is a Travis Morrison, University of Waterloo direct attempt to destroy Thompson’s career and to punish Travis Shrontz, Georgia Tech her department. It is an attempt to intimidate the AMS into Tyler Chen, University of Washington Valerie Peterson, University of Portland publishing only articles that hew to a very specific point of Vanessa Aguirre, San Francisco State University view. If we allow ourselves to be intimidated into avoiding Vanessa Rivera-Quiñones, No affiliation discussion of how best to achieve diversity, we undermine Vicki-Lynn Holmes, Hope College our attempts to achieve it. Victor Ocasio-Gonzalez, University of Puerto Rico-RUM We the undersigned urge the American Mathematical Victor Piercey, Ferris State University Society to stand by the principle that important issues Vikram Kamat, Villanova University should be openly discussed in a respectful manner, and to Virgil U Pierce, University of Northern Colorado make a clear statement that bullying and intimidation have Vitaly Lorman, University of Rochester no place in our community. Volker Ecke, Westfield State University Wendy M. Smith, University of Nebraska Signed, Whitney George, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Scott Aaronson, University of Texas at Austin Widodo Samyono, Jarvis Christian College Vyacheslav M. Abramov, retired William Malone, Temecula Valley Unified School District Dan Abramovich, Brown University William Worden, Rice University Colin Adams, Williams College Xander Faber, IDA/Center for Computing Sciences Alejandro Adem, University of British Columbia Xiao Xiao, Utica College Karim Adiprasito, U Copenhagen and Hebrew U Jerusalem Ximena Catepillan, Millersville University of Pennsylvania Siddharth Agarwal, KU Leuven Yan Zhuang, Davidson College Adebisi Agboola, UC Santa Barbara Yang Xiao, Brown University Arseniy Akopyan, IST Austria Yemeen Ayub, George Mason University Roger L. Albin, University of Michigan Yousuf George, Nazareth College Ian Alevy, University of Rochester Yuri Santos Rego, OvG University Magdeburg Maria Angeles Alfonseca Cubero, North Dakota State University Ziva Myer, Duke University Kenneth S. Alexander, U. Of Southern California Letter to the Editor Bruce Allardice, Professor of History Daniel Allcock, U.T. Austin To the American Mathematical Society: M. D. Allen, University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley We write with grave concerns about recent attempts Ryan Alweiss, Princeton University to intimidate a voice within our mathematical com- Ekaterina Amerik, Université Paris-Sud munity. Abigail Thompson published an opinion piece Vrege Amirkhanian, ATU retired

Online Only Notices of the American Mathematical Society 9 Letters to the Editor

David Anderson, Ohio State University Richard Borcherds, U.C. Berkeley George E. Andrews, Pennsylvania State University Nigel Boston, University of Wisconsin Todd Arbogast, University of Texas at Austin Antoine Bourget Scott Armstrong, Courant Institute, New York University Lewis Bowen, University of Texas at Austin Richard Arratia, University of Southern California Philip L. Bowers, Florida State University James Arthur, University Professor, University of Toronto, Past Latham Boyle, Perimeter Institute President of American Mathematical Society, 2005-2007 David Bradshaw, University of Kentucky Alan Astro, Trinity University Jason Bramburger, University of Victoria David Auckly, Professor Kansas State University, Director Michael Bramley, student member of the Royal Statistical Society Indigenous Math Circle Communities Alex Branton Rubén A. Martínez Avendaño, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de Jonathan Breuer, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem México Martin R Bridson, University of Oxford Pedro Fortuny Ayuso, University of Oviedo, Spain Andrea Brini, University of Sheffield Blanca Ayuso de Dios, Universita Milano-Bicocca Mark Brittenham, University of Nebraska Eric Babson, UC Davis John T. Broom, Nowich University Pavel Bacherikov, University of California at Berkeley Bill Browder, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University David Bachman, Pitzer College Frank Brown, UCSB Hyungryul Baik, KAIST Rachel Fulton Brown, The University of Chicago (History) Matt Bainbridge, Indiana University Eric Brussel, California Polytechnic State University Viviane Baladi, CNRS, Paris Leonard Bruton, FRSC, FIEEE, P.Eng., Emeritus Professor, Scott Baldridge, Louisiana State University University of Calgary, Canada John Baldwin, Boston College Robert Bryant, Duke University Tatiana Bandman, Bar-Ilan University, retired Daoud Bshouty, Dept of Maths,Technion, Israel Jessica Banks, University of Liverpool Robert B. Burckel, emeritus professor, Kansas State University Anton Baranov, Saint Petersburg State University Alex Buchel, Professor, Western University Rodica Barbu, Ohio State University Leonid Bunimovich, Georgia Tech Dror Bar-Natan, University of Toronto Efstathia Bura, TU Wien Alexander Barvinok, University of Michigan Robert Busch Paul Baumann, Professor of Microbiology (Emeritus), UC Davis Adam Buskirk, North Dakota State University John Baxter, Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota Dani Byrd, University of Southern California Yuri Bazlov, University of Manchester, UK Larry Cahill, Professor, UC Irvine William Beckner, The University of Texas at Austin Jack Calcut, Oberlin College Richard Bedient, Hamilton College Andrei Caldararu, Professor of Mathematics, University of Paul R. Beezley, Jacksonville State University Wisconsin-Madison Alexander Beilinson, University of Chicago Jennifer Beineke, Western New England University Justin Campbell, Caltech Ioan Bejenaru, University of California San Diego John Carlsson, USC Taylor Belcher, SC Governor’s School For Science and Gunnar Carlsson, Stanford University Mathematics Erik Carlsson, U.C. Davis Gregory Benford, UC Irvine Matt Carter, Williams College Arkady Berenstein, University of Oregon Bill Casselman, UBC Julien Berestycki, University of Oxford Eduardo Cattani, University of Massachusetts Amherst Professor Alexander Berkovich, Math Dept. UF Gustavo Emilio Cepparo, The University of Texas at Austin John Berman, UT Austin Abhijit Champanerkar, CUNY Mladen Bestvina, University of Utah Vyjayanthi Chari, University of California, Riverside Joseph A. Biello, University of California, Davis R. Douglas Chatham, Morehead State University Stephen Bigelow, UCSB Jeff Cheeger, Courant institute Erica Billingsley, Western Kentucky University Ivan Cheltsov, University of Edinburgh Yuri Bilu, University of Bordeaux Thomas Chen, UT Austin Ilia Binder, University of Toronto Vladimir Chernov, Dartmouth College Joan Birman, Professor Emeritus, Barnard College, Columbia Alexey Cheskidov, University of Illinois at Chicago University Dobrinka Chiekova, The College of New Jersey Michael Biro, University of Connecticut Laura Chihara, Carleton College Julie Blackwood, Williams College Alexandre Chorin, Mathematics, UC Berkeley Philip Blanco, Grossmont College Vasileios Chousionis, University of Connecticut Ivan Blank, Kansas State University Katie C Christensen, Furman University Kevin Blankinship, Brigham Young University David Cimasoni, University of Geneva Robin Blankenship, Morehead State University Mirela Ciperiani, University of Texas at Austin Florin Boca, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Darin Clark, UWO Eric Bondi, UCDavis alumni Stephen L. Clark, Missouri S&T

10 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor

Justin Clarke, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Ethics, Gerald Dworkin, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy emeritus, Ottawa University UC Davis Sally Cockburn, Hamilton College Andrew Dykstra, Hamilton College Ionut Ciocan-Fontanine, Mathematics, University of Minnesota Anton Dzhamay, University of Northern Colorado Daniel C. Cohen, Louisiana State University Joan Edwards, Professor of Biology, Williams College Jonathan Cohen, Emeritus, DePaul University Richard Ehrenborg, University of Kentucky Pierre Colmez, CNRS, France Dennis Eichhorn, UC Irvine Jim Conant, AoPS Academy William Eichinger, University of Iowa James Conway, UC Berkeley David Eisenbud, U.C. Berkeley Daryl Cooper, UCSB Mohamed Elhamdadi, USF Octav Cornea, University of Montreal Yakov Eliashberg, Stanford University Carl C Cowen, Prof. of Mathematics, IUPUI Michael Entov, Technion David A. Cox, emeritus, Amherst College Inna Entova, Ben Gurion University Phebe Cramer, Williams College Adam Epstein, University of Warwick Michael Cranston, University of California, Irvine Gayla Epure Paul F. Crawford, California University of Pennsylvania Burak Erdogan, University of Illinois Thomas Crawford, Swarthmore College Alexandre Eremenko, professor, Purdue University Danny Crytser, St Lawrence University Claus Ernst, Western Kentucky University Alex Eskin, University of Chicago Nicholas Castillo, PhD Student OSU Mathematics Department Pavel Etingof, MIT Milica Cudina, The University of Texas at Austin Jon Eugster, University of Edinburgh Marc Culler, University of Illinois at Chicago Lawrence C Evans, UC Berkeley John Cullinan, Bard College David E Evans, Cardiff University Michael Cwikel, Professor Emeritus, Technion - Israel Institute of Michael Falk, Northern Arizona University Technology Sohail Farhangi, The Ohio State University Marius Dadarlat, Purdue University Emmanuel Farjoun, Hebrew University Jerusalem John P. D'Angelo, University of Illinois David Farris, National Centre for Biological Science, Bangalore Mimi Dai, University of Illinois at Chicago Misha Feigin, University of Glasgow Jeffrey Danciger, UT Austin Ohad Noy Feldheim, the Hebrew University of Jersualem, Israel Donatella Danielli, Purdue University Kasun Fernando, University of Toronto Panagiota Daskalopoulos, Columbia University Yuval Filmus, Technion Donald M. Davis, Lehigh University Stas Filshtinskiy, Bachelor of Applied Mathematics, Certified Chandler Davis, University of Toronto Information Security System Professional Michael Davis, Ohio State University Gregory Fink, Michigan State University Rafael de la Llave, Georgia Inst. of Technology Michael Finkelberg, Department of Mathematics, National Jesus A. De Loera, UC Davis Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia RIchard De Veaux, Williams College Vladimir Finkelshtein, University of Göttingen Percy Deift, NYU Peter Finley Charles Delman, Department of Mathematics and Computer Ronald Fintushel, Michigan State University (Emeritus) Science, Eastern Illinois University Patrick Fitzsimmons, UC San Diego Andrzej Derdzinski, The Ohio State University Yuval Flicker, The Ohio State University Satyan Devadoss, Fletcher Jones Professor of Applied Joel Foisy, SUNY Potsdam Mathematics, University of San Diego Martin Frankland, University of Regina Robert L. Devaney, Boston University Robert Franzosa, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Lev Deych, Physics Department, Queens College of CUNY University of Maine Moshe Dinowitz, CUNY Graduate Center Michael Freedman, Microsoft and UCSB math Anna Dobritsa, OSU Daniel Freeman, St Louis University Robert G. Donnelly, Murray State University David Freund, Harvard University David R Dorman, Middlebury College Eric M. Friedlander, University of Southern California Vladimir Dotsenko, Professor, University of Strasbourg Susan Friedlander, USC Edward R. Dougherty, Texas A&M University Charles Frohman, University of Iowa Jon Doyle, NCSU Dmitry Fuchs, professor emeritus at University of California, Peter Doyle Davis Bogdan Doytchinov, Elizabethtown College Elena Fuchs, University of California, Davis John Drew, Williams Liberty Lenny Fukshansky, Claremont McKenna College Vladimir Drinfeld, University of Chicago Evgenia Fukshansky, former AMS member William Dunbar, Bard College at Simon's Rock David Gabai, Princeton University David Duncan, James Madison University Thomas Garrity, Williams College Molly Dunkum, Western Kentucky University Pawel Gburzynski, University of Alberta Susan Dunn, Williams College

Online Only Notices of the American Mathematical Society 11 Letters to the Editor

William Geller, Indiana University-Purdue University Harald Helfgott, University of Goettingen Indianapolis David Hemmer, Michigan Technological University Edward George, University of Pennsylvania David R. Henderson, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Naval Fritz Gesztesy, Baylor University Postgraduate School Ezra Getzler, Northwestern University James Henle, Smith College Saeed Ghahramani, Western New England University Michael Henle, Emeritus, Oberlin College Robert Ghrist, University of Pennsylvania Samuel Herman, New College of Florida Patrick Gilmer, Louisiana State University Hamid Hezari, UC Irvine Harry J. Gindi, University of Edinburgh Jairo Iván Peña Hidalgo, FSU Student Victor Ginzburg, University of Chicago Vladimir Hinich, University of Haifa Viktor Ginzburg, University of California, Santa Cruz Eriko Hironaka Eleftherios Gkioulekas, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley David Hoffman James Glimm, Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Jan Holly, Colby College Stony Brook University Andrew Holt, Florida State College at Jacksonville Heide Gluesing-Luerssen, University of Kentucky Ko Honda, UCLA Mark S. Gockenbach, Michigan Technological University Anna-Lena Horlemann, St. Gallen, Switzerland Andrey Gogolev, Ohio State University Joey Horn Leo Goldmakher Hugh Howards, Wake Forest University William Goldman, Professor, University of Maryland Joshua Howie, University of California, Davis Larry Goldstein, University of Southern California Mark Hughes, Brigham Young University Robert Gompf, The University of Texas at Austin Paul Humphreys, University of Virginia Alexander Goncharov, Yale University John Hunter, UC Davis Daniel Gonzalez, Florida State University & the University of Mee Seong Im, National Academy of Sciences,United States Notre Dame Military Academy and Army Research Laboratory Chaim Goodman-Strauss, University of Arkansas Alexander Ioffe, Professor Emeritus, Technion, Israel Carolyn Gordon, Dartmouth College Nezam Iraniparast, Western Kentucky University Anton Gorodetski, University of California, Irvine Ingrid Irmer, ICM SUSTech Claudio Gorodski, University of São Paulo Alan Isaac, American University Prof. Dmitry Gourevitch, Weizmann Institute of Science Joshua Isralowitz, University at Albany (SUNY) Fernando Q. Gouvêa, Colby College James D Ivers, Eastern Michigan University Jonathan Graehl Krishnamurthy Iyer Noah Graham, Middlebury College Department of Physics Elham Izadi, UCSD Mathematics Christopher Grant, Brigham Young University Ivan Izmestiev, TU Wien Andrew Granville, U of Montreal and University College London William Jaco, Oklahoma State University Josh Greene, Boston College Adam Jacob, UC Davis Jacob Greenstein, UC Riverside Christina Jeffrey J. Elisenda Grigsby, Boston College Shane Jensen Darij Grinberg, Drexel University Chad W Jessup Misha Gromov, Courant Institute, NYU and IHES. France Svetlana Jitomirskaya, UC Irvine Niels Grønbech-Jensen, UC Davis William Johnston, Butler University Benedict H Gross, UCSD David Joyce, Clark University Ilya Gruzberg, Professor, Ohio State University Aaron Kaestner, North Park University Bo Guan, Ohio State University Jeremy Kahn, Brown University Pavel Guerzhoy, University of Hawaii at Manoa Uwe Kaiser, Boise State University David Gürçay-Morris, Williams College Effie Kalfagianni, Michigan State University Ori Gurel-Gurevich, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Prof. Patanjali Kambhampati, Department of Chemistry, McGill Max Gurevich, Technion University Robert Guy, UC Davis Deepak Kamlesh, DPhil Candidate in Mathematics, University of Ewain Gwynne, University of Cambridge Oxford, UK George Hagedorn, Virginia Tech David Kane, Harvard University Emily Hamilton, California Polytechnic State University Todd Kapitula, Calvin University David Hansen, MPIM Bonn Michael Kapovich, Distinguished Professor, University of Evans Harrell, Georgia Institute of Technology California, Davis Shelly Harvey, Rice University Anton Kapustin, California Institute of Technology Deirdre Haskell, McMaster University David A. Kareken, Ph.D., Indiana University School of Medicine Dominique Haughton, Bentley University Svetlana Katok, Penn State University Thomas F Hayes Eric Katz, The Ohio State University David Heddle, Christopher Newport University Louis H Kauffman, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics, University Raymond Heitmann, University of Texas at Austin of Illinois at Chicago Dennis A. Hejhal, University of Minnesota Linda Keen Prof. Emerita, CUNY Graduate Center

12 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor

Julia Kempe, New York University Yehuda John Levy, University of Glasgow Carlos Kenig, University of Chicago Azriel Levy. Dept. of Mathematics, Hebrew University of Shelly S Kennedy, University of Oklahoma Jerusalem Steve Kerckhoff, Stanford Erica Li Bruce Kessler, Western Kentucky Uuniversity Mathematics Tao Li, Boston College Evgeniy Khain, Oakland University Anthony Licata, Australian National University Parviz Khalili Max Lieblich, University of Washington Mizan R. Khan, Professor, Eastern Connecticut State University James Lin Michael Khanevsky, Technion - Israel's Institute of Technology Nati Linial, The Hebrew University Konstantin Khanin, University of Toronto Benjamin Linowitz, Oberlin College Michael Khasin, SGT Inc. Maria Lioudyno, University of California-Irvine Mikhail Khenner, Western Kentucky University Joseph Lipman, Professor emeritus of Mathematics, Purdue Boris Khesin, University of Toronto University Tanya Khovanova, MIT Max Lipton, Cornell University Keenan Kidwell, UT Austin Alexander Lisyansky, Queens College of CUNY James Kierstead, Victoria University of Wellington Richard Litherland, Professor, Dept of Math, Louisiana State Thomas Kindred, University of Nebraska-Lincoln University Rob Kirby, UC Berkeley Lance Littlejohn Alexander Kirillov Jr, Chair, Math department, Stony Brook Charles Livingston, Indiana University Bloomington University D.D. Long, UC Santa Barbara Sergiu Klainerman, Princeton University Vincent Longo, University of Nebraska-Lincoln John R. Klein, Wayne State University John Lott, UC-Berkeley Dmitry Kleinbock, Acting Chair, Department of Mathematics, Rohan Loveland, Whitman College Brandeis University Monika Ludwig, TU Wien Alexander Kleshchev, University of Oregon Dan Lynch, Williams College E. Allen Knight, Spring Arbor University Misha Lyubich, Stony Brook University Thomas Koberda, University of Virginia Shiqian Ma, UC Davis Patrice Koehl, UC Davis Eric Mack, Philosophy, Tulane University Ilya Kofman, CUNY Blair F. Madore, SUNY Potsdam Oleg Kogan, Cal Poly Francesco Maggi, University of Texas at Austin Alex Kontorovich, Rutgers University Leonid Leonid Makar-Limanov, Wayne State University Aryeh Kontorovich, Ben-Gurion University, Computer Science Peter Makienko, Instituto de Matematicas Vladimir Kontorovich, Department of Economics, Haverford Fyodor Malikov, University of Southern California College Michael Maller, Queens College CUNY (retired) Ann E.K. Kosobud, Ph.D., Indiana University School of Medicine Vladimir Mandelshtam, UC Irvine David Kraines, Duke University Fedor Manin, UCSB Nicolai Krylov, University of Minnesota Benjamin Mann Peter Kuchment, Texas A&M Christopher Manon, University of Kentucky Nicholas Kuhn, University of Virginia Cy Maor, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ramya Kumar Raffaele Marcovecchio, Italy Dionne Kunkel, The George Washington University Luana Maroja, Williams College Vadym Kurylenko, University of Hamburg William J. Martin, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Alfons Laarman, Leiden University Andrei Martinez-Finkelshtein, Baylor University Laurent Lafleche, University of Texas at Austin Howard Masur, University of Chicago Kevin Lamb, University of the Pacific Jasmin Matz, U Copenhagen Michel L. Lapidus, University of California, Riverside Ben McCarty, The University of Memphis Christopher J. Larsen, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Michael McCooey, Franklin & Marshall College Kyle Larson, University of Georgia Duncan McCoy, Université du Québec à Montréal Grant H Lathrom, Missouri Southern State University Dusa McDuff, Barnard College Gregory F. Lawler, University of Chicago James McKernan, UCSD Ruth Lawrence-Naimark, Hebrew University of Jerusalem William H. Meeks III, Professor of Mathematic, UMass Amherst David Layman, York College of Pennsylvania (adjunct) Ari Meerson, Galilee Research Institute Sean Lawton, George Mason University Baruch Meerson, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Christophe Lecomte, member of the AMS Rick Mehta, Former Professor, Acadia University, Canada Michelle LeMasurier, Hamilton College Moo Mele, University of Delhi Christopher J Leininger, University of Illinois Anton Mellit, University of Vienna Paul Melvin, Bryn Mawr College Mark Levi, Penn State William W Menasco, University at Buffalo-SUNY Nate Levi, University of California Davis Dean Menezes, UCLA Genadi Levin, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Loïc Merel, IMJ-PRG Université de Paris Michael Levitin, University of Reading

Online Only Notices of the American Mathematical Society 13 Letters to the Editor

William Messing, School of Mathematics University of Minnesota Serge Ochanine, University of Kentucky Ina Mette Crichton Ogle, Ohio State University David A. Meyer, UC San Diego Kasso A Okoudjou, UMD/MIT Nicholas Meyer, University of Nebraska — Lincoln Andrei Okounkov, Columbia University Juan Migliore, University of Notre Dame Michael Olinick, Middlebury College Michael Mihalik, Professor of Mathematics, Vanderbilt University Ebenezer de Oliveira, Ohio State University Claudia Miller, Syracuse University John Oprea, Professor Emeritus, Cleveland State University Steven J Miller, Williams College Matthew Osborne, Ohio State University Willard Miller, University of Minnesota Victor Ostrik, University of Oregon Chris Miller, Ohio State University Valentin Ovsienko, CNRS, France Kenneth C Millett, University of California, Santa Barbara Nicholas Owad, Colby College Michael Mills, Psychology Department, Loyola Marymount Peter Ozsvath, Princeton University University Peter Y. Paik, Yonsei University Jan Minac, Western University George Pappas, Michigan State University Guido Mislin, Professor Emeritus ETH Zürich Ziho Park, University of Chicago Dorina Mitrea, Baylor University Jason Parsley, Wake Forest University Boris Mityagin, Professor Emeritus, AMS Fellow; Ohio State Ori Parzanchevski, Hebrew University of Jerusalem University Yekaterina Pavlova, Palomar College Boughalem Mohammed, PhD student university Regensburg Natasa Pavlovic, University of Texas at Austin Aydin Mohseni Casey Perin, University of California, Irvine Monica Montano, Case Western Reserve University Peter Perry, University of Kentucky Richard Montgomery, UC Santa Cruz, distinguished professor Laura J. Person, State University of New York-Potsdam Warren S. Moore, III, Newberry College Timothy Perutz, UT Austin John Morgan, Professor Emeritus, Columbia University Yakov Pesin, Penn State University Prof. Yoav Moriah, Dept of Math, Technion Israel Jonathon Peterson, Purdue University Da'Shawn M. Morris, American Soldier Ina Petkova, Dartmouth College Evan D. Morris, Prof. Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yehuda Pinchover, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Biomedical Engineering, Pyschiatry, Yale University Ross G. Pinsky, Department of Mathematics, Technion-Israel Henri Moscovici, Ohio State University Institute of Technology Jean-Christophe Mourrat, Courant Institute, New York University Daria Poliakova, Copenhagen University Tomasz S. Mrowka, MIT Carl Pomerance, Dartmouth College Emeritus Sujoy Mukherjee, The Ohio State University Wai Yan Pong, CSU Dominguez Hills David Mumford, Emeritus Professor, Harvard and Brown Sorin Popa, UCLA Universities Serguei Popov, University of Campinas Julien Murzi, University of Salzburg Erik Postma, Maplesoft Alexander Nabutovsky, Professor of Mathematics, University of Benedikt Pötscher, University of Vienna Toronto Leonid Potyagailo, University of Lille, France Bruno Nachtergaele, University of California, Davis Filip Pramenković, Univerza na Primorskem Ramin Naimi, Occidental College Adam Prenosil, Department of Mathematics, Vanderbilt Fedor Nazarov, Kent State University University Nikita Nekrasov, Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, Stony Kenneth Price, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Brook University Marina Prokhorova, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology Yury Neretin, Pauli Institute, Vienna; Moscow State University Jozef H. Przytycki, George Washington University Walter Neumann, Barnard College, Columbia University Elbridge Gerry Puckett, Full Professor, Department of Andre Neves, University of Chicago Mathematics, UC Davis Eran Nevo, Hebrew University Joshua Pughe-Sanford, Georgia Tech Nicholas Nguyen, University of Kentucky Jonathan Pyle Dr. Ngoc Nguyen, Western Kentucky University You Qi, University of Virginia Yi Ni, California Institute of Technology Stephen Quilley, SERS, University of Waterloo Dennis Nieman Maksym Radziwill, Caltech Arjun Nigam Shawn Rafalski, Fairfield University Barbara Nimershiem, Franklin & Marshall College Surjeet Rajendran Leonard J. Nissim, Fordham University (retired) Zoi Rapti, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign João Nogueira, University of Coimbra Alexander Rashkovskii, University of Stavangervanger Emily Norton, TU Kaiserslautern Sarah Dean Rasmussen, University of Cambridge Jonathan Novak, UC San Diego Jacob Rasmussen, Cambridge Dmitry Novikov, Weizmann Institute of Science John Ratcliffe, Department of Mathematics, Vanderbilt University Alexei Novikov, Penn State University Animesh Ray, Professor, Keck Graduate Institute Alan J. Nussbaum, Cornell University Margaret A. Readdy, University of Kentucky Kevin O’Bryant, CUNY Staten Island and The Graduate Center Robert Redfield

14 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor

Charles Reichhardt, Los Alamos National Laboratory Richard Schwartz, Chancellor's Professor of Mathematics, Brown Alan Reid, Rice University University Ben Reid, Lander University Albert Schwarz, UC Davis, emeritus, AMS Fellow Hanna Reisler, Professor of Chemistry, USC Peter Scott, University of Michigan Kui Ren, Columbia University/University of Texas at Austin Zlil Sela, Hebrew University Nicolai Reshetikhin, University of California, Berkeley Marjorie Senechal, Smith College Vladimir Retakh, Rutgers University Ambar Sengupta, University of Connecticut Ilya Reviakine, University of Washington - Seattle Illya Serdyuk Lev Reyzin, Department of Mathematics (MSCS), University of Vera Serganova, UC Berkeley Illinois at Chicago Brigitte Servatius, WPI Brendon Rhoades, UC San Diego Cheri Shakiban, University of St. Thomas Henry Ricardo, City University of New York (Retired) Xuancheng Shao, University of Kentucky Donald Richards, Penn State University Uri Shapira Tom Richmond, Western Kentucky University Daniel Shapiro, Ohio State University Bastian Rieck, ETH Zurich Dmitry Shemetov, UCDavis Graduate Student Hans Riess, University of Pennsylvania Zhongwei Shen, University of Kentucky Timothy Riley, Cornell University Vivek Shende, UC Berkeley Igor Rivin, Temple University Malcolm Sherman, UAlbany, SUNY Neil Robertson, Emeritus Professor, Ohio State University Theodore James Sherman, Professor of English, Middle Tennessee Altha Rodin, University of Texas at Austin State University Gregory Rodin, Oden Institute, University of Texas at Austin Mikhail Shifman, University of Minnesota Federico Rodriguez Hertz, Penn State Evgeny Shinder, University of Sheffield Casey Rodriguez, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Aleksander Shmakov, University of Georgia Claude Roger, Pr Emeritus, Université de Lyon Tatiana Shubin, San Jose State University Dan Romik, UC Davis Adam Sikora, SUNY Buffalo Jason Rosenhouse, James Madison University Daniel Silver, University of South Alabama Joachim Rosenthal, University of Zurich Jim Simons, Simons Foundation Hugo Rossi, Mathematics, University of Utah Howard Skogman, SUNY Brockport Paolo Rossi, Università degli Studi di Padova Theodore Slaman, University of California Berkeley Raphael Rouquier, UCLA Nat Smale, Math Department, University of Utah Colin Rourke, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Stephen Smale, math (emeritus) Univ of Calif. Berkeley Warwick Roxana Smarandache Lev Rozansky, Professor, Department of Mathematics, University David C. Smith, Williams College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Michael Smith, UC Berkeley Daniel Ruberman, Brandeis University Bert Frank Smits Volodya Rubtsov, Université d'Angers (France) Matthew Snyder Mark Rudelson, University of Michigan Sergey I Sobolev, retired Lee Rudolph, Clark University Mikhail Sodin, Tel Aviv University Andrey Rukhin Houshang H. Sohrab, Towson University David B Rush Sara A. Solla, Northwestern University Lorenzo Sadun, University of Texas at Austin Jake Solomon, Hebrew University Gershon Sageev, UB math. dept. Ronald Solomon, Professor Emeritus, Ohio State University Abhishek Saha, Reader in Mathematics at Queen Mary Jack Sonn, Professor Emeritus, Technion-Israel Institute of University of London Technology Masahico Saito, USF Jenya Soprunova, Kent State University Yiannis Sakellaridis, Johns Hopkins University Alexander Soshnikov, UC Davis Mathematics Department Michael Saks, Rutgers University Kannan Soundararajan, Stanford University Andrew Salmon, MIT Steven Sperber, University of Minnesota, School of Mathematics Philip Carl Salzman, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, McGill Andrew Staats University Gigliola Staffilani, MIT Wendy Sandler, University of Haifa Joseph Stahl, UC Berkeley Mark Sapir, Vanderbilt University Alina Stancu, Concordia University Martin Scharlemann, University of California at Santa Barbara Michael Stay, CTO, Pyrofex Corp. B. Schaum, USF Joseph Steinberg, University of Toronto Michael Schein, Bar-Ilan University Ronald J. Stern, Prof and Dean Emeritus UC Irvine Hal Schenck, Department of Mathematics, Auburn University Thomas Strohmer, University of California, Davis Wilfried Schmid, Harvard University Walter Stromquist, Bryn Mawr College Ulrike Schneider, TU Vienna Professor Jeffrey Stuart, Pacific Lutheran University Jennifer Schultens, UC-Davis Benny Sudakov, Professor, ETH Zurich Peter Schumer, Middlebury College John Sullivan, AMS Fellow, TU Berlin

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Mikael Sundqvist, Lund University, Sweden Hans Wenzl, UC San Diego Frank Swenton, Middlebury College Brian White, Stanford University Sergei Tabachnikov, Penn State Steven R. White, MD, University of Chicago Thibaud Taillefumier, UT Austin Susan G. Williams, University of South Alabama Ramin Takloo-Bighash, University of Illinois at Chicago Elizabeth Wilmer, Oberlin College David Talcott, The King's College (NY) Peter Winkler, Dartmouth College / National Museum of Julie Tannenbaum, Pomona College Mathematics Terence Tao, UCLA Jeff Witmer, Oberlin College Clifford Henry Taubes, Department of Mathematics, Harvard Curt Wittig, Professor of Chemistry, USC University Gershon Wolansky, Technion, Haifa Israel Laurence R. Taylor, University of Notre Dame Helen Wong, Claremont McKenna College Scott Taylor, Colby College Mark R. Woodard, Furman University Michael Temkin, Chair, Department of Mathematics, Hebrew Hung-Hsi Wu, Univ. of Cal., Berkeley University Jared Wunsch, Northwestern University Ivo Terek, Ohio State University Abraham Wyner, UPenn Morwen Thistlethwaite, University of Tennessee-Knoxville Eugene Z. Xia, National Cheng Kung University Lola Thompson, Max Planck Institute and Oberlin College Dongbin Xiu, Ohio State University Frank J. Tipler, Professor of Mathematics, Tulane University Sergei Yakovenko, Weizmann Institute of Science Antonino Travia, student at the University of South Florida Michael Yampolsky, University of Toronto Lisa Traynor, Bryn Mawr College Deane Yang, New York University Nancy S True, Professor Emerita, UC Davis Irina Yaroshevskaya, PhD in Computer Science Bena Tshishiku, Brown University Eylem Zeliha Yildiz, Harvard University Anastasiia Tsvietkova, Rutgers University, Newark Alexander Yong, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Henry Tucker, UC Riverside Amanda Young, TU Munich Alexander Tumanov, Professor, University of Illinois Elena Yudovina, PhD, C.H. Robinson Alexander Turbiner, AMS member and APS Fellow, National Svetoslav Zahariev, City University of New York University of Mexico Labib Zakaria, Undergraduate Student at Oregon State Victor Turchin, Kansas State University University Ilya Tyomkin, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Yuri Zarhin, Pennsylvania State University Nikos Tzirakis University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Vladimir Zbarsky John Urschel, MIT Ng Ze-An, London School of Economics Alek Vainshtein, University of Haifa Steven Zegas, concerned citizen Ravi Vakil, Stanford University Anton Zeitlin, Louisiana State University Lou van den Dries, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana Ofer Zeitouni, Weizmann Institute Allan van Hulst, Max Planck Institute, the Netherlands Shaul Zemel, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Donald Vandegrift, The College of New Jersey Andrew Zeng Yakov Varshavsky, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Chao Zhang, University of Southern California Monica Vazirani, UC Davis Mengyuan Zhang, UC Berkeley Daniel Velleman, emeritus, Amherst College Yilong Zhang, Ohio State University J. David Velleman, Department of Philosophy, NYU Zhenghe Zhang, UC Riverside Akshay Venkatesh, Institute for Advanced Study Vadim Zharnitsky, University of Illinois Oleg Viro, Stony Brook University Zvi Ziegler, Technion, Haifa, Israel Misha Vishik, Department of Mathematics, The University of Ludmil Zikatanov, Penn State Texas at Austin Gordan Zitkovic, The University of Texas at Austin Angelo Vistoli, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy Nahum Zobin, College of William and Mary David A. Vogan, Jr. Dept of Mathematics, MIT Alex Zupan, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vladislav Vysotsky, University of Sussex Artem Zvavitch, Kent State University Rebecca Wahl, Butler University Peter Zvengrowski, Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary Bronislaw Wajnryb, Rzeszow University of Technology, Poland Kevin Walker, MSQ A Response to “A Word From…” in the Lynne H Walling, University of Bristol (Fellow of the AMS) December 2019 Issue of the AMS Notices Yi Wang, SUNY Buffalo There is a false equivalence underlying the entire argument Zhenghan Wang, Microsoft Station Q and UCSB math behind Abigail Thompson’s essay in the December 2019 Rachel Ward, UT Austin issue of the AMS Notices. Thompson draws a comparison Michael S. Waterman, University of Southern California Paul Wedrich, MPIM between the loyalty oaths of the 1950s in the University of Shmuel Weinberger, University of Chicago California system on one hand, and the diversity statements Steven H. Weintraub, Lehigh University that are currently required by applicants for positions in Aaron Weiss, mekaz lev acadamy that same system on the other. Loyalty oaths were an in- Benjamin Weiss, Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem sidious outgrowth of the Red Scare that gripped the nation

16 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor at the outset of the Cold War. Public figures like US Sena- Thompson has opted to politicize this issue by exercising tor Joseph McCarthy and California State Senator Jack B. her power in her capacities as chair of the UC Davis math- Tenney1 were capitalizing on the allure of fascist political ematics department and Vice President of the AMS.4 techniques during an era when citizens had well-founded Racist and sexist policies—both written and unwritten— fears of nuclear war. Their tacit goal was to sow fear of the are obstacles for many Americans who would like to seek “other” in order to maintain their own power. The explicit higher education and opportunity. This is documented fact, goal of diversity statements is to promote equity in the not politics. Professors who are mindful of this fact will workplace, in higher education, and in the marketplace of present an antiracist and antisexist face for the University ideas. I fail to see how these are comparable. of California system. Values, not politics. The UC system Thompson also misrepresents how the rubrics for evalu- is taking an active role in addressing these facts and pro- ating the diversity statements are to be applied. Here is what moting these values. In doing so, they continue to uphold the Berkeley Office for Faculty Equity and Welfare says: Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun’s words: “In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. Consider creating a cut-off score for advancing There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equity and inclusion, below which a candidate equally, we must treat them differently.”5 would not move forward in the search process This opinion is my own, and may not represent that of (would be considered below the bar), regardless my employer. of their scores in other areas, similar to what would be done for research quality or plans. —Dr. Xander Faber For example, if 5 points are given for various IDA/Center for Computing Sciences components of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (e.g., understanding 5 points, track (Received November 25, 2019) record 5 points, and plans 5 points), assign a value below which a candidate would not be In Response to Prof. Abigail Thompson considered competitive and would not move Dear Sir/Madam, forward regardless of their scores in other areas Abigail Thompson’s article which appears in the Decem- (e.g., any single 0 or 1 out of 5 would disqualify ber 2019 issue of the Notices of the American Mathematical a candidate from further consideration). Set a Society deserves a thorough airing. high bar.2 I disagree, very strongly, with, in my view, its very limited sense of the scale and scope of the mathematics community These are stated as recommendations, and it is left to the and its conflation of the use of diversity statements in some faculty to decide how important equity and inclusion are hiring practices for mathematics jobs with McCarthyism. to their department. Thompson’s approach is to appeal to I recognize that the AMS has worked and continues to emotion, and presents no evidence that this is having a neg- work assiduously to address the issue of underrepresenta- ative impact on any actual mathematics department’s hiring tion. However, the evidence, much of it documented and practices.3 The AMS editors have failed the membership by disseminated by the AMS, makes very clear that the actual publishing a prominent essay by an esteemed officer whose outcomes, the results, i.e. are we as a community demon- arguments are fallacious and scientifically ill-founded. strably more diverse than we were ten years ago, indicate Additionally, Thompson asserts, “Politics are a reflec- that much work still needs to be done in order for us to be tion of how you believe society should be organized.” No, truly a community of equity and excellence. politics is the exercise of power in service to an ideology. In a deep sense, this essay, from a Vice President of the Individual and institutional values are a reflection of how AMS, even though Prof. Thompson makes clear that she you believe society should be organized. The University of speaks for herself and not for the Society the article’s tagline California is displaying its institutional values by requiring prominently identifies her as a Vice President of the AMS, a commitment to diversity. It has the authority to promote makes a compelling argument for the need for diversity this vision by recommending that each department utilize statements in hiring. a policy of inclusion and equity in their hiring practices. For context, consider the following questions: how many 1Senator Tenney repeatedly introduced legislation requiring loyalty oaths, tenured African American professors of mathematics are which ultimately forced the hand of the President of the UC system. there in the UC system? Closer to my home, how many 2Read Part 1 of the Candidate Evaluation tab at https://ofew .berkeley.edu/recruitment/contributions-diversity 4In the published article, the words “This essay contains my opinions as an /support-faculty-search-committees. individual” are jarringly juxtaposed with the heading “Abigail Thompson, 3By contrast, UC Berkeley has produced an extensive report that docu- a Vice President of the AMS” in larger blue font. ments the effect of hiring with a diversity focus in mind: https://ofew 5Justice Blackmun wrote this while contemplating the Equal Protection .berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/searching_for_a_diverse_ Clause of the 14th Amendment during the 1978 case Regents of the faculty-_data-driven_recommendations.pdf. University of California v. Bakke.

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African American assistant professors do we have on the courage of the author and the editor, as the expressed view- tenure track in the entire CUNY system in mathematics? point was likely to stir a controversy. At Medgar Evers College, where I have worked for almost We are concerned about the online campaign against twenty-five years, we have two, yes two, tenured mathema- the Notices and personally Prof. Thompson, following the ticians of African descent. The pace of change, when viewed publication of her article. It is a sad irony that the reaction from my vantage point is painfully slow. I note, for some of Prof. Thompson’s online opponents only adds value to perspective, that Black Americans have received just one her argument that our times share some common features (1) percent of the doctoral degrees in mathematics granted with darker periods in history. over the last decade. We strongly believe that boycotts and the “cancel cul- How do we change this? ture” have no place in academia. They reinforce fear, shame, We must become a community that holds, as a priority, and self-censorship, and eventually hinder our ability to for the discipline of mathematics, the critical importance search for the truth. Finding an optimal balance between of increasing the number of African American and other various approaches to improve functioning of the aca- demic institutions, while respecting interests of different mathematicians of color. groups, as well as individual freedoms and non-mainstream How do we do this? opinions, is not an easy task. We view the article of Prof. It is evident that we must hire mathematicians who have Thompson as an important contribution to a civilized demonstrated some evidence of their willingness to work discussion on this topic. on this challenge. I.e., if we are serious, our intent must be accompanied by some supporting infrastructure, an Sincerely, appropriate set of policies and practices aimed at achieving Iosif Polterovich our desired ends. Therefore, requiring that applicants write Université de Montréal some form of diversity statement is but a small piece of such Leonid Polterovich an infrastructure. A diversity statement is simply an element Tel Aviv University of one’s Teaching Philosophy. It is not a political identity. I close by reiterating: research requires new ideas; new (Received November 27, 2019) ideas come from new people. Excellence in mathematics is a function of diversity. We, the mathematical community, Supporting Letter elide this truth at our peril. Dear Erica, Be well. I would like to express my gratitude for your courageous Terrence decision to publish the opinion article by Abigail Thomp- son in the recent issue of the Notices. And these feelings —Terrence Blackman, PhD extend to all who supported you in this decision. Associate Professor Free expression of opinion, which this article contains, Department of Mathematics is absolutely crucial in any policy making, and I find it very School of Science, Health & Technology troubling that some people try to suppress debate by in- Medgar Evers College, CUNY timidation—something one would expect in a totalitarian Visiting Professor regime and not in the USA. Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics I observed a triple irony in some reactions to Abigail’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) article. 1. The bullying and intimidating responses only make Member, Executive Council Abigail’s analogy with McCarthyism so much more The National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences convincing. —Building a New American Community in 2. The participants in the hounding campaign commit the Mathematical and Statistical Sciences the very offences that they profess to be against, and https://www.mathalliance.org do so in a much worse way. 3. The campaigners’ loudest objection is to the very thing (Received November 27, 2019) (the analogy with McCarthyism) they themselves are most guilty of. Thank You (Article by A. Thompson) You and Abigail have my full support and admiration. Dear Notices, Thank you for publishing the article by Prof. Thompson “A word from...” in the December issue. We read it with in- terest, as it brings readers’ attention to a subject of universal (in our opinion) importance. It also demonstrates personal

18 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor

With best wishes, Letter to the Editor, Notices AMS on: Diversity Mark Levi Dear editor, Mathematics Department In my opinion, diversity is an important social and aca- Penn State University demic value, the pursuit of which can also be an important means for academic excellence. One reason we need to pay (Received November 27, 2019) special attention to diversity is that there are various mech- Real and Fake Fight for Diversity anisms against it, which in and of themselves are harmful The heated debate in the US mathematical community that to academic life and excellence, such as dominance and, followed the publication of the article “A word from...” by at times, even bullying by members of majority/power Abigail Thompson in the December issue of the Notices of groups. On this and other issues, academic institutions have the AMS crossed the Atlantic. This short letter is an opinion the right and duty to form academic policies and pursue of an individual from its other side. It is of course difficult them, and also the obligation to allow free debate about to compare the systems and traditions of different coun- these policies. tries, but such a comparison could still be useful, especially If you feel uncomfortable about making a one-time when the debate also crossed the boundaries of cordiality... statement about a policy you disagree with, and I can Hiring committees in France never ask candidates for certainly understand this feeling, think about how un- diversity statements, but most of my colleagues (all that I comfortable it is to be a member of a minority group that know) participate in a number of different ways in the long cannot freely express her or his views, and who faces unjust judgment, and at times even hostility, on a regular basis. fight for inclusion and diversity. There are many programs, such as “Math en Jeans,” “Fête de la Science,” etc. All of —Gil Kalai them popularize mathematics in high and elementary Hebrew University of Jerusalem and IDC, Herzliya schools, one goal of these programs is precisely to attract students from a variety of backgrounds. People are happy (Received November 28, 2019) to participate in these programs, there are always many volunteers. The administration also contributes. In par- Letter to the Notices of the AMS ticular, students pay nothing for their education, and they In an essay in the December 2019 issue of the Notices, have a full social security cover. The scientific community Abigail Thompson describes the mandatory "Diversity vigilantly follows all the changes proposed by the adminis- Statement" (mDS) that mathematics job applicants to UC tration and the government, and protests when some parts Schools must submit together with their regular applica- of this system are threatened. tions. At some campuses, the mDS is evaluated, in various A mandatory diversity statement in the hiring process categories, according to a detailed list of criteria (called a does not seem to be an efficient way to improve the di- "rubric"). versity. How can a hiring committee see the difference If an applicant to Berkeley, for example, merely says that between sincere and “fake” diversity statements, written (or she advocates “mentoring, treating all students the same copied from the internet) by a desperate candidate? Isn’t regardless of background”, she merits a score of 1–2 out of it more useful to work with the administration, sponsors, a possible top score of 5 in the “track record for advancing government? diversity” category (see * below). Hiring committees (at Something tells me that people who do this real work UC Davis and Berkeley, in particular), are encouraged by are not the same who write the most compelling diver- the Administration to use the rubrics, establish a cutoff sity statements, or organize a witch-hunt against Abigail and eliminate candidates who score below the cutoff as Thompson. At least, it is clear that her article in the Notices is a first step in the hiring process for all hires. In this way sincere, it contributes to the real fight for diversity. Respect Diversity Statements diminish the value of mathematical your future colleagues, spare their energy, and invite them achievement as the key element in securing a position at a to participate in the real work to improve the diversity, UC Mathematics Department. rather than torture themselves with writing statements in Mandatory Diversity Statements undermine Faculty stereotyped language! Governance. Should the use of scored diversity statements become required as the first step in the hiring process, this —Valentin Ovsienko opens the way for Administrators, who have no profes- CNRS Researcher, France sional knowledge of mathematics, to exert primary control over the hiring of mathematicians. And indeed, testing (Received November 28, 2019) the waters, small scale pilot programs have already been implemented at various UC schools requiring the first cut on hiring to be based on such scored diversity statements.

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We applaud Abigail Thompson for her courageous lead- Howard Masur, Barry Mazur, David McLaughlin, Michael ership in bringing this issue to the attention of the broader McQuillen, William Menasco, Marie-Louise Michelson, John Mathematics Community. As she says in her essay: Millson, Vitali Milman, Yair Minsky, Mahan Mj, Sophie Morel, “Mathematics has made progress over the past decades Richard Montgomery, John Morgan, Henri Moscovici, Thomasz towards becoming a more welcoming, inclusive discipline. Mrowka, Steven J. Miller, Werner Muller, David Mumford, Aaron Naber, Alex Nabutovsky, Tatiana Nagnibeda, Yury We should continue to do all we can to reduce barriers to Neretin, Andre Neves, Charles Newman, Alexei Novikov, Hee participation in this most beautiful of fields.... There are Oh, Andrei Okunkov, Alexander Olshanskii, Jean-Pierre Otal, reasonable means to further this goal: encouraging students Janos Pach, Richard Palais, Dimitri Panov, Raman Parimala, from all backgrounds to enter the mathematics pipeline, Kirsi Peltonen, Robert Penner, Yakov Pesin, Stefanie Petermichl, trying to ensure that talented mathematicians don’t leave Anthony Phillips, Leonid Polterovich, Mihnea Popa, Leonid the profession, creating family-friendly policies, and sup- Potyagailo, Cheryl Praeger, Elbridge Gerry Puckett, Alexander porting junior faculty at the beginning of their careers, for Razborov, Andre Resnikov, Vladimir Rokhlin, Dan Romik, example.” Xiaochun Rong, Regina Rotman, Hyam Rubinstein, Laure Saint We agree wholeheartedly with these sentiments. It is Raymond, Michael Saks, Mark Sapir, Peter Sarnak, Wilfried important to strive to hire faculty that will make the at- Schmid, Richard Schoen, Jennifer Schultens, Richard Schwartz, Zlil Sela, Vera Serganova, Sylvia Serfaty, Natasa Sesum, Peter mosphere more welcoming to all. It is also important to Shalen, Julius Shaneson, Jalal Shatah, Steve Shkoller, Alexandra recognize and help reduce various difficulties still faced Shlapentokh, Carol Shubin, James Simons, Thomas Spencer, by underrepresented groups. But as Abigail says, there are Jeffrey Streets, Catherine Sulem, Gigliola Staffilani, Daniel mistakes to avoid: mDS‘s are one of them. Stein, Ronald Stern, Daniel Stroock, Tatiana Suslina, Gabor Finally, we commend the Editorial Board at the Notices Szekelyhidi, Sergei Tabachnikov, Leon Takhtajan, Clifford Taubes, for opening up the discussion on this very important Michael Taylor, Susanna Terracini, Chuu-Lian Terng, Craig matter. Tracy, Yuri Tschinkel, Alek Vainshtein, S.R. Srinivsa Varadhan, Vlad Vicol, Dan-Virgil Voiculescu, Claire Voisin, Simone Warzel, Sincerely, Wei-Min Wang, Guofang Wei, Shmuel Weinberger, Benjamin Adebisi Agboola, Michael Aizenman, Noga Alon, Ekaterina Weiss, Brian White, Daniel Wise, Sergei Yakovenko, Paul Yang, Amerik, Nalini Anantharaman, Michael Anderson, George Guoliang Yu, Yuri Zarhin, Efim Zelmanov, Zhimin Zhang, Andrews, Scott Armstrong, James Arthur, Eric Babson, Viviane Ludmil Zikatanov Baladi, Igor Belegradek, Iosif Bernstein, Roman Bezrukavnikov, Jean-Michel Bismut, Fedor Bogomolov, Lilliane Borcea, Alexei * If you insert the following into a google search, the first Borodin, Boris Botvinnik, Paul Bourgade, Brian Bowditch, Lewis thing which comes up is a pdf with the rubric for Berkeley: Bowen, Martin Bridson, Robert Bryant, Inna Bumagina, Oliver rubric_to_assess_candidate_contributions_to_diversity Buhler, Leonid Bunimovich, Dimitri Burago, Sylvain Cappell, _equity_and_inclusion-1.pdf Erik Carlsson, Gunnar Carlsson, Mei-Chu Chang, Sun-Yung Alice Chang, Jeff Cheeger, Alexandre Chorin, Maria Chudnovsky, (Received December 5, 2019) Christopher Connell, Alain Connes, Peter Constantin, Kevin Corlette, Christopher Croke, Carina Curto, Xianzhe Dai, A Letter to the Notices Panagiota Daskalopoulus, Percy Deift, Camillo de Lellis, Laura I applaud Abigail Thompson for her thought-provoking DeMarco, Yakov Eliashberg, Michael Entov, Alexander Eremenko, and brave essay (December 2019 Notices) arguing against Anna Erschler, Alex Eskin, Maria J. Esteban, John Ewing, Anna Felikson, Michael Freedman, Susan Friedlander, Eric Friedlander, mandatory diversity statements from academic job appli- Hillel Furstenberg, Denis Gaitsgory, Ross Geoghegan, Pierre cants. While we should undoubtedly try to reduce barriers Germain, Alexander Givental, Eleftherios Gkioulekas, James to participation in mathematics, requiring diversity state- Glimm, William Goldman, Anton Gorodetski, Fan Chung ments is a political litmus test that should have no place in Graham, Misha Gromov, Benedict Gross, Victor Guillemin, any university that values truth and free expression. Sinan Gunturk, Matthew Gursky, Ursula Hamenstadt, Qing In fact, as Dr. Thompson describes, the rubric used for Han, Dennis Hejhal, Harald Andres Helfgott, Federico Rodriguez grading these statements recommends a low score to any Hertz, Helmut Hofer, Elizabeth Its, Alexander Its, Henryk candidate who merely states they will treat students equally Iwaniec, David Jerison, Svetlana Jitomirskaya, Vaughan F.R. regardless of background; to get a high score on these Jones, Vadim Kaimanovich, Ilya Kapovitch, Michael Kapovitch, statements one needs to describe activities “promoting Svetlana Katok, Jerry Kazdan, David Kazhdan, Thomas Koberda, different identity groups” and have a strong “interest in di- Carlos Kenig, Olga Kharlampovich, Robion Kirby, Sergiu mensions of diversity that result from different identities.” Klainerman, Abel Klein, Bruce Kleiner, Alexander Kleshchev, Robert Kohn, Janos Kollar, Alex Kontorovich, Maxim Kontsevich, Whatever one’s position on promoting people based on Irwin Kra, Peter Kuchment, Gregory Lawler, H. Blaine Lawson, the identity group they belong to (as opposed to treating Claude LeBrun, Francois Ledrappier, Mark Levi, Fanghua Lin, them as individuals) or on the kind of intersectionalism Nati Linial, Darren Long, John Lott, Zhiquin Lu, George Lusztig, alluded to above, it cannot be denied that this is a political/ Misha Lyubich, Jeremy MacDonald, Fedor Malikov, Eugenia philosophical stand, and so this rubric necessarily excludes Malinnikova, Leonid Makar-Limanov, Sonja Mapes, Peter May, people who may not agree with this stand.

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Incidentally, one of the oft-mentioned benefits of diver- Letter to the Editor sity is that one needs multiple viewpoints and perspectives Dear Editor, to solve difficult problems. However, the term “identity” as I was delighted to see the December Notices of the AMS used in the context of diversity statements is never inter- publish Abigail Thompson’s thoughtful article. I was preted to include political or philosophical identity. This equally shocked and disappointed to see the subsequent means that the high-scoring applicants, who are therefore attacks on the AMS. The AMS Notices did what it is sup- likely to get the job, are of a relatively homogeneous polit- posed to do: Promoted then open exchange of thoughtful ical bent, which ironically goes against the very essence of opinions on an important and controversial topic. Please viewpoint diversity and negates the benefit mentioned above. continue on your mission.

Sincerely, Regards, Abhishek Saha Yannis Papakonstantinou Queen Mary University of London Professor of Computer Science and Engineering UC San Diego (Received December 6, 2019) (Received December 10, 2019) Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, Letter in Relation to Abigail Thompson‘s Essay I am writing to express my strong support for your deci- Universities that want to value diversity are requiring sion to publish Abigail Thompson’s piece in the December diversity statements as a way to demonstrate this to the Notices of the AMS. applicants. What can possibly go wrong with that? Un- I am truly dismayed by the vitriolic attacks on her and fortunately, an unintended and yet pervasive effect of the the AMS for allowing an open exchange of opinions on an diversity statements in practice is the normalization and important and controversial topic. Please do not cave in to encouragement of the worst sexist/racist prejudices, the very thing they are supposed to fight. such pressure tactics. In standing up for Abigail‘s right to The strongest open sexism I have ever felt in academia express her opinion, you will serve the best interests of your happened around diversity statements that we’ve been readers, of the AMS, and of academics at large. dealing with at UCs for over 10 years. People often list writing joint papers with women as their contributions to Regards, Victor Vianu diversity, something that may have been akin to the “I am Professor of Computer Science not a sexist” declaration in the 70s, but definitely has the UC San Diego opposite connotation at this time and age. Occasionally students even refer to their (prominent) female advisors (Received December 8, 2019) in this regard! Worse yet, some job-seekers list their col- laboration with female peers as contribution to diversity. Letter to the Editor Regardless of their intent, it definitely hurts the image of Dear AMS editor, young women mentioned that way (as well as, of course, I was saddened to see the reaction from some of our of women as a group) in the community‘s eyes. colleagues to Prof. Thompson’s opinion piece in the last At my university, we also have (not fully mandatory, so edition. Though my opinion may differ from hers, I support far) diversity statements for all our merit actions, happen- her freedom to express her opinion publicly. The fact that ing roughly once every three years. Some faculty do the there is disagreement should encourage us all to have an same, listing collaborating with (often senior!) women, open and respectful discussion in our community of what inviting women to conferences, etc as their contribution are the best strategies to achieve a diverse community. The to diversity. Some list their appointing as editors women personal attacks that she has been confronted with are who are a lot more distinguished than most of the rest of the editors of that journal as expanding professional uncalled for. Let's remember that part of diversity is the opportunities for women. While few people write such freedom to have and express diverse opinions. insulting statements, what is disturbing is the fact that Regards, the evaluators behave as if it is OK, communicating to the Shachar Lovett broader community that it actually is OK. Associate Professor Needless to say how humiliating and discouraging it is Computer Science and Engineering for women to constantly read things like that even in re- University of California, San Diego gards to the highest achievers in the community. I believe people writing those things don’t necessarily genuinely (Received December 8, 2019) believe in the inferiority of women they mention in such

Online Only Notices of the American Mathematical Society 21 Letters to the Editor a disparaging way. It is just that few have done real diver- recent example, I was on a committee that had to select a sity-related activities, and the most impudent ones among couple of graduate students. I suggested a student, arguing the others feel compelled to list something, sometimes that she was the most accomplished one on the list. As if not also encouraged by the success of their federal support hearing my arguments, a diversity-minded colleague imme- applications, where they routinely include similar things. diately suggested to also add another female student, who Then, the clueless ones copy from their successful friends. was one of the least accomplished. If both were selected, Luckily, many people never read those statements, but ev- what message would it have sent to them as well as the eryone who actually reads them as business as usual, will other students? An unfairness present in some selections only get their biases strengthened as a result. inevitably leads to it being multiplied by a large factor in I have always appreciated the inclusive atmosphere of people's perception and viewed as a universal phenome- my community in mathematical physics, where I have long non, thus to highly increased prejudices. I don't think this felt a sense of belonging. Many people in this community is the desired outcome. have, directly or indirectly, strongly contributed to the di- I also think it is good to hire people who will not have versity and inclusion through both creating the respectful a negative effect on the atmosphere, those who are sup- climate and through their support and encouragement of portive to students and colleagues, and not disrespectful, colleagues, in particular, of me, which has greatly enabled indifferent, or discouraging. Yet, diversity statements are a my growth. It is crucial, however, that to them I was never very poor, if not a counterproductive, tool for making such a commodity to be reported upon, as is implicitly encour- a distinction. Genuine activities that lead to improved in- aged by the diversity statements. clusion should definitely be valued, just like any other im- I strongly believe it is important to work on improving portant service. Yet, if the word comes out that co-authoring climate and inclusivity in general, and some of the steps papers with women no longer counts, the same people will already made in this direction have been good. For exam- rush to have some relevant diversity checkmarks. But will a ple, I am grateful for the education I received on internal workshop for women run by a person who believes in their biases. I am someone who would not have had a chance in inferiority be a positive contribution? In practice, much academia if affirmative action had not existed when I was of the diversity activism it would encourage will be fake hired in 1993. Yet, it was at the time when I had already or tone-deaf, and ultimately only harmful to the climate. done some very important work, and preferential treatment In my own experience, some of the best contributors to shouldn’t have been needed in my case, in an ideal world a positive climate have been strong mathematicians who without biases. I support efforts that encourage fairness show interest in the work of others. An excellent example in the hiring process, and in particular open hiring com- is Jean Bourgain. He was interested in good mathematics mittees’ eyes on all sorts of biases (gender, minority, lesser and showed zero prejudice. He strongly influenced careers institution...) that could affect their own evaluation as well of a number of prominent men and women at formative as some recommendation letters. Unfortunately, the focus stages. He conveyed respect and always talked in a subtly on diversity statements only takes attention away from this encouraging way. I knew the fact that I was a woman was important topic. irrelevant to him, and all this gave me great inspiration and Moreover, I believe that at tenure track hiring, which encouragement. I see him as a great contributor to diversity is largely about promise, the difficulties that affect most and an inclusive climate. women and minorities at the early stages should be taken People with checkmark diversity activities would pass into account, in a sensible way. It may also be justified to the UC diversity rubric barrier. Would Jean Bourgain? resolve some other ties taking into account the role model considerations. However, I think that the often present push —Svetlana Jitomirskaya to increase percentage of women beyond what is currently UC Irvine reasonably warranted by merit, only multiplies the biases, is very damaging for the community’s perception of women (Received December 10, 2019) as a group, and thus is very harmful for the climate. As one example, I was recently on a committee to select the winner Letter to the editor of an important prize. It went to a female mathematician. Dear AMS editors, I am sure that most people who don't closely know her I read with interest the letters section of the most recent or her work, when learning the news, thought “of course, AMS Notices. The three multi-signatory letters about Abigail they wanted to select a woman”. Yet her gender had zero Thompson’s opinion piece in particular caught my atten- influence on our considerations, there was no push on the tion. One letter applauded the Notices Editorial Board for committee, and she was selected from all the applications publishing Thompson’s piece, and concurred with Thomp- purely on scientific merit according to the prize criteria. son’s assessment that mandatory diversity statements are a The value of this well-deserved prize is not at all the same mistake. Another letter criticized an article from the website for her as it would have been if she was a man. As another QSIDE, which was itself critical of the opinion piece. A

22 Notices of the American Mathematical Society Online Only Letters to the Editor third letter expressed disappointment with the Notices for factually wrong) view by simply starting the essay with the publishing Thompson’s piece. sentence “This essay contains my opinions as an individual.” If my tally is correct the letters together have over 1400 Prof. Thompson can write a letter to an editor if she wants signatories. It occurred to me that, in light of the remark- to present her opinions; the fact that she can express a ably high level of response, it would be interesting to take poorly articulated argument in such a prominent place is a look at the demographics of the signatories, and that is in itself the definition of “privilege.” what I do below. Let me refer to the letter which supported Straight to the substance of the matter. The center of the Thompson’s assessment and the letter criticizing the QSIDE diatribe by Prof. Thompson is that: article as letters 1 and 2, respectively, and the letter criticiz- A typical rubric from UC Berkeley specifies that ing Thompson’s article as letter 3. a statement that “describes only activities that I assessed the gender of the signatories of the letters to are already the expectation of Berkeley faculty the best of my ability, but my assessments may not have (mentoring, treating all students the same regard- been perfect, and do not account for the fact that some of less of background, etc)” (italics mine) merits a the signatories are non-binary. With that caveat, here are my score of 1–2 out of a possible 5 (1 worst and findings. The 678 signatories of letter 1 were 13.7% female. The 217 signatories of letter 2 were 19.8% female. The 620 5 best) in the second section of the rubric, the signatories of letter 3 were 50.1% female. “track record for advancing diversity” category. I also assessed the number of signatories at top-10 Prof. Thompson expressed bewilderment by the fact that universities (Princeton, Harvard, Columbia, MIT, Yale, treating all students the same regardless of background is Stanford, Chicago, Penn, Northwestern, Duke). Letter 1: considered a poor response in terms of diversity awareness. 6.3%; letter 2: 22.6%; letter 3: 3.1%. I had the misfortune of encountering this worldview repeat- After looking at the websites of hundreds of the sig- edly in the AMS community, and that is why I renounced to natories, I would also offer the following non-rigorous be a member of the AMS (after a decade of membership). I assessments. The signatories of letters 1 and 2 are on average have on my desk, as Chair of the Department of Mathemat- older, whiter, and more likely to already have tenured re- ics at the University of Texas at San Antonio, the invitation search positions at R1 universities. The signatories of letter to have our majors and graduate students join the AMS via 3 are on average younger, more ethnically diverse, and have an institutional membership. I cannot send, in good faith, more precarious employment. my students to the wolves. I also have the invitation to at- If the signatories of the letters are, taken together, rep- tend the AMS Department Chairs Workshop, but attending resentative of our community as a whole, then it seems would be a tacit acceptance of the AMS’ tacit approval of that, on the whole, the gatekeepers are against this sort of Prof. Thompson’s view. I simply cannot sell my soul. attempt to build a more diverse mathematical community. All people are born with the same rights (even Prof. Those who have been shut out, on the other hand, are much Thompson might agree with that), but not everybody grows more favourable. I find this rather depressing. Those of us with the same opportunities. It is very easy to be born in with the power to make academia less exclusionary should third-base and go around life boasting that you hit a home be putting our energy into doing so, rather than using our run, asking others “Why have you not achieved what I have… time to sketch spurious analogies between diversity initia- perhaps you have not worked as hard?” This is the crux of the tives and McCarthyism, and to cry foul when those on the matter. Inclusivity and diversity in academia (and society outside object. in general) is not achieved simply by tapping some source of high performing “students of color” that other college Sincerely yours, recruiters have overlooked. It is achieved, instead, by rec- Louigi Addario-Berry ognizing that access to opportunity in the US still depends Department of Mathematics and Statistics McGill University on the circumstances of birth, and this affects who and how starts college. Of course, it is easy to be oblivious of (Received December 16, 2019) this matter if one attends, let’s say Wellesley and Rutgers, as Prof. Thompson did. However, for the vast rest of us, Strong protest against the article reality is very different. Not recognizing that we cannot by Prof. Thompson treat all students the same results in universities becoming Dear Editor, instruments that amplify socioeconomic distances instead The recent essay by Prof. Abigail Thompson (A word of being vehicles for eliminating disparities. from… Abigail Thompson Notices of the AMS 66(11):1778- Publishing the article by Prof. Thompson is a failure 9) presents a view that is extremely detrimental to the of the editorial checks at the AMS. It is acceptable to have mathematics community in general. This article was par- divergent opinions, and we should be able to discuss those ticularly toxic for multiple reasons. Prof. Thompson does with civility and absolute respect. What is not acceptable not have the luxury of whitewashing a controversial (and is to promote views born in ignorance of the reality of the

Online Only Notices of the American Mathematical Society 23 Letters to the Editor society we serve as professors. There are many other disput- Shibley,4 diversity statements are also being used at UCLA, able statements in Prof. Thompson’s essay, but they are too not only for hiring, but also for faculty evaluation, with many and I will let other point to those flaws. the article further explaining how that violates academic freedom and undermines public trust in academia. Our Sincerely, hiring practices and faculty evaluation practices should Juan B. Gutiérrez, PhD remain apolitical and meritocratic, focused on recognizing Professor and Chair of Mathematics excellence in teaching, research, and service, with the under- University of Texas at San Antonio standing that Mathematics faculty have varied interests, and (Received December 17, 2019) varied strengths and weaknesses, and a diversity of talent is needed to make the whole strong. In support of Dr. Abigail Thompson, academic The retaliation attempt to damage Dr. Thompson’s freedom, and viewpoint diversity career and to bully the AMS towards practicing censorship I am writing to commend Dr. Abigail Thompson for her against one speaking truth to power is frightening, and I leadership and courage to write a very thoughtful editorial1 unequivocally condemn it. Free speech, academic freedom, on the use of diversity statements for faculty hiring, and and a diversity of viewpoints are fundamental principles specifically on the politicized rubric2 constructed by UC of academic life, and speech that we disagree with should Berkeley, and to commend Dr. Erica Flapan for the courage be confronted with more free speech, and not with per- to publish it. In case you missed it, the crux of her argument sonal attacks, “cancel” culture, and “public shaming.” An is that “requiring candidates to believe that people should be interesting perspective on the deeper issues that underlie treated differently according to their identity is indeed a polit- the recent rise of hostility towards freedom of expression ical test,” and that should be juxtaposed with the classical is given in the book5 by Lukianoff and Haidt. The best way liberal viewpoint that every person should be treated as a forward is to stand for and unify under universal princi- unique individual. The UC Berkeley diversity score favors ples of freedom, fairness, and justice applied equally to one viewpoint over the other, making it a political test. A everyone, and to live by the ideal of servant leadership. An similar argument, in more extended form, was previously encouraging development in this direction is the adoption made in a well-researched white paper by Dr. Bruce Gilley.3 of the Chicago principles on free speech6 by 70 institutions7 Hidden in plain sight is the observation that there is over a short period of 5 years. nothing for a job candidate to add on top of what can be explained with a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a teaching Yours sincerely, statement, and a research statement, since candidates who Eleftherios Gkioulekas have a record of diversity-related contributions have the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley choice to report on them in these other documents. There- fore, it is not unreasonable to surmise that the sole purpose/ (Received December 23, 2019) function of asking for separate diversity statements in job applications, is to frontload them ahead of consideration Abby Thompson’s opinion piece of the entire application, and use a scoring system to weed The UC system could streamline the vetting process on out “politically incorrect” candidates, without looking at Diversity and Inclusion. Instead of having candidates the entire application holistically. What we are seeing in write an essay, just add a box on job applications, with the UC Berkeley is the beta-test for what will eventually be statement “I believe in treating everyone with dignity and deployed at the national level. respect, without consideration of religion, race, or gender.” Those of us who have a tenured position will not be off By definition, this will exclude folks who discriminate. the hook, when frontloaded diversity scoring is introduced And the resources that would be spent on expanding the al- in tenure and promotion evaluation and, even worse, in ready massive higher education bureaucracy could instead post-tenure review. According an earlier article by Robert be devoted to providing more scholarships to students, and hiring more faculty. More troops on the ground, fewer generals. 1A. Thompson, Notices of the American Mathematical Society 66, 4Robert Shibley, “UCLA diversity requirement threatens academic freedom, 1778–1779, 2019 trust in academia,” 2018, https://www.thefire.org/ucla-diversity 2 https://ofew.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/rubric_to -requirement-threatens-academic-freedom-trust-in-academia/ _assess_candidate_contributions_to_diversity_equity_and 5G. Lukianoff and J. Haidt: “The Coddling of the American Mind,” Penguin _inclusion.pdf Random House, New York NY, 2018 3Bruce Gilley, “The Imposition of Diversity Statements on Faculty Hiring 6https://freeexpression.uchicago.edu/ and Promotion at Oregon Universities,” Oregon Association of Scholars, 7 2017, https://www.oregonscholars.org/wp-content/uploads https://www.thefire.org/chicago-statement-university /2017/01/DiversityStatements_Rev16Mar17.pdf -and-faculty-body-support/

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Kudos to Dr. Thompson for having the courage to call out the budding Berias.

Dr. Hal Schenck Rosemary Kopel Brown Eminent Scholars Chair Department of Mathematics Auburn University

(Received December 27, 2019) Diversity I joined the Mathematics Department at UC Davis in 1966 and worked there for 30 years. When I joined it was a good service department but, with the exception of a few indi- viduals, it was mathematically insignificant. Since then it reached unquestionable mathematical prominence. This was achieved by screening faculty applicants primarily for their mathematical ability. If their political views were considered, some may not have been hired. Thus I applaud Professor Abigail Thompson for making it clear in her articles (Notices of AMS, Dec. 2019 and Wall Street Journal, Dec. 20, 2019) that the commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is a political issue that has nothing in com- mon with excellence in mathematics. The response from UC Davis (WSJ, Letters, Dec. 27, 2019) was disappointing. I can understand why the vice chancellor for GE&I attaches more importance to such commitment than to professional capability—it may be part of her job description. However, it is most regrettable that the chancellor of the UC Davis shares her attitude.

Washek F. Pfeffer, Professor Emeritus Tucson, AZ

(Received December 29, 2019)

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