Here.  I hope they can take some kind of collective action about this political interference into academic appointments.  It is astonishing to see the attempts to rationalize this naked attack on faculty autonomy.  The issue is not whether any particular observer thinks Hannah-Jones "deserves" this appointment; I myself have noted plenty of serious scholarly criticisms of her work on the 1619 Project, but all of that is compatible with her being an appropriate choice for this position.  She was vetted by the journalism faculty, recommended for a tenured position, and approved by all levels of the administration.  Only the Board of Trustees rejected the recommendation for political reasons.  Universities can't function in such an environment.