I am a proud graduate of Marquette University (both undergraduate and graduate), and currently serve as an adjunct instructor in the accounting program. I love my alma mater deeply, but I cannot stand by and watch the treatment of Dr. John McAdams over the last year without saying something.

More than a year ago, Dr. McAdams criticized Cheryl Abbate, who was the instructor for a Theory of Ethics class at Marquette. A firestorm ensued, and Abbate claimed that the criticism by Dr. McAdams was bullying. She allegedly got hateful emails… not from Dr. McAdams, but from third parties he appears to have had no direct involvement with.

Dr. McAdams was then suspended, a move I believed was retaliatory and inappropriate. Although he was suspended with pay, all of his classes were canceled and he was instructed that he was not to be on campus at any time. Continue reading

A month ago I wrote about Marquette Professor John McAdams and his criticism of teaching assistant (and graduate student) Cheryl Abbate. Essentially, Abbate told a student that discussion of opposition to gay marriage equaled homophobia, and would not be allowed in her classroom. That seemed to be an unfair restriction on speech to Professor McAdams, and to me.

Last week, following the end of the fall semester, Marquette University suspended Professor McAdams with pay.  The school doesn’t want this to be called a suspension, instead saying that he is relieved of all teaching and faculty duties. I initially thought this was a move by Marquette to make it look like they were taking some action, so the Abbate supporters would be appeased. It seemed unusual that he would be suspended during winter break, as no teaching goes on at that time. However, I understand that all of Professor McAdams’s classes for the winter semester have been canceled, so this appears more serious than I originally thought. Continue reading