Marquette University Law School

Marquette Law School Professor Suspended

A Marquette University Law School professor has been suspended following allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a student.
Paul Secunda, who is a professor of law in Marquette’s Labor and Employment Law Program, was suspended from his teaching duties two weeks from the end of this past semester, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
A statement issued by the university reveals Secunda has been dismissed. However, the university did not go into detail.
“Paul Secunda has been removed from his duties, including teaching, at Marquette University as the result of information developed from an investigation that began last May. Marquette will not comment further on the issue at this time,” the statement reads.
Secunda’s Response
Secunda released a statement through his attorney, Jennifer Walther, in which he says he will seek to clear his name.
“I assume Marquette University has chosen to act as it has toward me to protect the University,” the statement reads. “This does not diminish the great respect I have for this institution and my fellow professors. Nonetheless, I cannot stand by idly in the face of what I believe to be an injustice. I have confidence in the process Marquette and the faculty have established to protect tenured professors in these circumstances, and believe I will clear my name at the end.”
Previous Legal Battle At Marquette
Earlier last year, Marquette Law had lost a legal battle over trying to suspend another law professor in a case involving academic freedom and professional responsibilities toward students.
According to Colleen Flaherty of Inside Higher Ed, John McAdams, a Marquette political science professor had “criticized a graduate student by name on his personal blog over how she handled a classroom discussion that turned to gay marriage.”
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in favor of Professor McAdmas in July 2018.
“While the professor’s case was about an alleged breach of contract, the decision touched on the current campus speech climate, especially for political conservatives, such as McAdams. It also broke with a long judicial tradition of deferring to colleges and universities on tenured personnel matters,” Flaherty writes.
Sources: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Inside Higher Ed