Tenure the Hard Way: Hunger Strike

James L. Sherley, a biomedical engineering professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology will start a hunger strike on February 5th unless he is granted tenure. Sherley stated:

I will either see the provost resign and my hard-earned tenure granted at MIT, or I will die defiantly right outside his office.

Sherley, an adult stem cell researcher and winner of the $2.5 million dollar Pioneer Award, believes he is a victim of racial discrimination. MIT provost, L. Rafael Reif has say there would not be any further consideration and Sherley would have to leave next year.