Catholics are balking at a recent faculty assignment from the Catholic Notre Dame University. The university named Professor Susan Ostermann as director of Asian Studies. Ostermann has been an open advocate of abortion, writing op-eds against any attempt to illegalize it. She has called attempts to ban abortion “violence” and “white supremacy.” She has referred to pro-life pregnancy resource centers as “anti-abortion rights propaganda sites” and accused them of providing “false information.” Ostermann has served at Notre Dame as an associate professor of global affairs at Notre Dame.

Holy Cross Father Wilson Miscamble, a professor emeritus of history at Notre Dame, wrote a scathing condemnation of the appointment. “The University of Notre Dame does not have a problem outlining its ambition to be the world’s leading Catholic university, but it faces perennial problems in fulfilling this goal. It confronts a major test of fidelity to its Catholic mission right now,” wrote Miscamble. “There can be no dispute that Ostermann stands in stark contrast to fundamental Catholic moral teaching on the sacredness of human life.”

He also noted that an article written by Ostermann for the New York Times in 2022 was rebuked by the University’s former president, Fr. John Jenkins, with Jenkins stating the essay “[did] not reflect the views and values of the University of Notre Dame in its tone, arguments or assertions.” Miscamble also criticized Ostermann’s work as a consultant to the Population Council, which focuses on population control. Miscamble highlighted the devastating impacts population control has had on Asian countries like China, where its “One-Child” policy has caused a huge decline in the female population. Miscamble stated he is appealing to the University’s Board of Fellows to have Ostermann’s appointment rescinded.

The University, for now, has stood by its decision, asserting that Ostermann can keep her own personal opinions separate from her professional capacity. A statement from the University described Ostermann as “a highly regarded political scientist and legal scholar whose insightful research on regulatory compliance — from forestry conservation in India and Nepal to NSF-funded disaster mitigation in the U.S. territories — demonstrates the rigorous, interdisciplinary expertise required to lead the Liu Institute.” In a statement, Ostermann asserted her own intention to separate the personal and professional. “I have long worked with scholars who hold diverse views on a multitude of issues, and I welcome the opportunity to continue doing so,” she wrote. “While I hold my own convictions on complex social and legal issues, I want to be clear: my role is to support the diverse research of our scholars and students, not to advance a personal political agenda.”