Clark Atlanta University says it’s revising its internal review processes for publishing future research summaries because the University walked back a recent study it published on the conditions for Waffle House workers.
Researchers at Clark Atlanta previously stated that Waffle House workers face hostile environments, low wages and a lack of benefits.
Now, both the historically black University and Waffle House are issuing a joint statement.
According to a press release, Clark Atlanta has removed the study’s summary from its website. “Clark Atlanta University recognizes that the summary’s presentation raised questions about the nature, scope, and applicability of the research and conveyed a focus on Waffle House that did not reflect the broader context of the larger research study,” the school’s spokesperson said in a press release.
Officials say the research was part of a broader analysis of service workers in the South, and the findings were not intended to serve as an assessment of the breakfast chains’ policies and workforce.
“CAU also affirms that academic research conducted by faculty reflects the independent scholarly work of researchers and does not necessarily represent the official positions, endorsements, or conclusions of the University,” the spokesperson said in a press release.
Waffle House says it appreciates Clark Atlanta’s clarification. However, the study’s researchers disapprove of the university’s joint statement, claiming it undermines the survey’s findings and credibility.
A spokesperson for the Clark Atlanta researchers who conducted the study shared a statement to WABE, “By presenting the University’s clarification alongside Waffle House’s approval and praise, the release creates the appearance that an external corporate subject may have influenced how academic work would be publicly characterized.”
