Gayle said West would be missed by students.
“It’s certainly a big blow to the department,” he said, “but at the same time that department’s chock full of people who do a tremendous amount of good work, and I have no doubt the department will be fine in the long run.”
West, who is on a medical leave of absence this semester, could also not be reached for comment this afternoon.
But West has not been out of the spotlight, even while on leave.
He was arrested yesterday for participating in an act of civil disobedience outside the State Department in Washington. He and roughly 20 others were arrested for standing in the street while protesting Israel's occupation of the West Bank. Most of the protestors were affiliated with the Tikkun Community, a self-described progressive coalition that is currently calling for U.S.-led U.N. intervention in the conflict in Israel. West co-chairs the organization.
The protesters were all released last night, according to Deborah L. Kory, the managing editor of Tikkun Magazine.
—Staff writer Kate L. Rakoczy can be reached at rakoczy@fas.harvard.edu.