Pro-Abortion Professor Steps Down From Leadership Role at Catholic University

Susan Ostermann withdraws from director position at University of Notre Dame's Liu Institute after backlash over her abortion advocacy

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A University of Notre Dame professor, Susan Ostermann, has stepped down from a senior leadership role at the Catholic university following weeks of pressure from students, faculty, and Catholic leaders nationwide over her long public record of supporting abortion. Ostermann was slated to become the director of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, but the appointment was met with widespread backlash due to her advocacy for abortion rights, which critics said conflicted with Notre Dame's Catholic identity.

Why it matters

The controversy over Ostermann's appointment highlighted the tension between academic freedom and upholding Catholic principles at a prominent Catholic institution. Notre Dame's decision to rescind Ostermann's leadership role was seen as a victory for those who wanted the university to remain true to its Catholic mission and identity.

The details

Ostermann, an associate professor in Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs, will no longer assume the director role at the Liu Institute. Two faculty members resigned from the Liu Institute in protest over Ostermann's appointment, and students organized prayer events and demonstrations calling on the university to uphold its Catholic identity. The controversy escalated further when Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, whose diocese includes Notre Dame, issued a public statement condemning the appointment and warning that it was 'causing scandal to the faithful'.

  • In January 2026, Notre Dame announced Ostermann's appointment as the new director of the Liu Institute.
  • On February 26, 2026, Notre Dame announced that Ostermann had decided not to move forward with the appointment.

The players

Susan Ostermann

An associate professor in Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs who has a long public record of supporting abortion rights.

Mary Gallagher

The dean of Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs.

Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades

The bishop whose diocese includes the University of Notre Dame, who issued a public statement condemning Ostermann's appointment.

Kristan Hawkins

The president of Students for Life of America, who called Ostermann's withdrawal a 'good start' but argued that her continued presence on the faculty remains incompatible with Notre Dame's Catholic mission.

Mary FioRito

A senior fellow at The Catholic Association, who said Ostermann's withdrawal was a 'win for consistency, clarity, and common sense' at the University of Notre Dame.

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What they’re saying

“It's clear from her aggressively pro-abortion body of work, including her association with the Population Council, that she needs to be terminated. The premier Catholic school in America should not allow professors to blatantly oppose central teachings on the value of all human life, including babies in the womb. Her elevation was extremely troubling, but stepping down is not enough. She needs to go.”

— Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America (The Daily Wire)

“As an explicitly Catholic university, Notre Dame owes its students and faculty truth in advertising. Ostermann's public advocacy of legal abortion would have overshadowed the good work of the Liu Center and significantly hampered its ability to form students.”

— Mary FioRito, Senior Fellow at The Catholic Association (The Daily Wire)

What’s next

The University of Notre Dame has not indicated any further actions regarding Ostermann's continued employment on the faculty.

The takeaway

The controversy over Ostermann's appointment highlights the ongoing tension between academic freedom and upholding Catholic principles at Catholic universities. Notre Dame's decision to rescind Ostermann's leadership role was seen as a victory for those who wanted the university to remain true to its Catholic identity, but some argue that her continued presence on the faculty remains incompatible with that mission.