Notre Dame Professor Declines Research Appointment Amid Abortion Controversy

Susan Ostermann withdraws from institute role after backlash from students, staff, and Catholic bishops.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A professor at the University of Notre Dame has declined a research directorship appointment at the school, following weeks of outcry from students, staff, and several U.S. Catholic bishops over her prominent advocacy for abortion rights.

Why it matters

The decision highlights ongoing tensions at Catholic universities around hiring faculty who publicly support positions that conflict with church teachings, as well as the influence that student and community pressure can have on university leadership.

The details

Susan Ostermann, an associate professor in the Keough School of Global Affairs at Notre Dame, had been selected for a research directorship role at the university. However, after facing significant backlash from the campus community and Catholic leaders over her pro-abortion rights stance, Ostermann has decided not to accept the appointment.

  • Ostermann was selected for the research directorship role in January 2026.
  • The controversy and calls for her to decline the position lasted for several weeks in February 2026.

The players

Susan Ostermann

An associate professor in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame who is known for her advocacy of abortion rights.

University of Notre Dame

A private Catholic university in Notre Dame, Indiana, that has faced scrutiny over hiring faculty who support positions at odds with Catholic teachings.

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What they’re saying

“We must not hire faculty who openly contradict the Church's teachings on the sanctity of human life.”

— Bishop Joseph Strickland, Bishop of Tyler, Texas (Catholic Standard)

The takeaway

This decision underscores the ongoing tensions at Catholic universities around balancing academic freedom with adherence to church doctrine, particularly on sensitive social issues like abortion. It also demonstrates the power that student and community pressure can have in influencing university leadership's hiring decisions.