In a March 4 letter to the Emory Law community, Dean Mary Anne Bobinski shared a decision regarding the employment status of professor Paul Zwier.

Zwier will remain a tenured member of the Emory Law faculty, however, he will not teach mandatory courses before the Fall of 2021. He may begin carrying out his research and administrative duties, and he will likely return to the law school community before the end of this term.

Both Zwier and the law school had requested the university’s Faculty Hearing Committee consider his employment status. The Committee held a hearing and provided Zwier and the law school dean a set of findings and recommendations. The Committee’s procedures direct that its findings and recommendations “carry great weight and, it is anticipated, will usually provide the basis for actions of the Dean.”

Given that the decision is a personnel matter, the university is unable to provide additional information. The Committee’s report remains confidential.

Emory University is committed to academic freedom, including the ability of faculty members to make pedagogical choices that include addressing controversial topics. At the same time, the university seeks to prevent discriminatory harassment and to promote an inclusive learning environment for all students. Emory’s Equal Opportunity and Discriminatory Harassment Policy recognizes the intersection of these values.