Megan Lee Neely, assistant professor and director of graduate school at Duke University, has resigned after controversy over an email she sent to students on Friday. In the email, Neely sent complaints from two nameless teachers about Chinese students who speak Chinese and asked them to speak English on campus.
A Duke University professor sent an email asking Chinese students not to speak Chinese in the school building. pic.twitter.com/6xGkIeScJo
– (@siruihua) January 26, 2019
“Both faculty members selected a small group of freshman students who spoke Chinese (in their words, VERY LOUD) in the student lounge,” Neely said in the email. “They wanted to write the names down so that they would remember them if the students were ever interviewed for an internship or asked to work with them on a Masters project.
“They were disappointed that the students did not take the opportunity to improve their English and were so rude that they had a conversation that not everyone on the floor could understand,” Neely continued.
Neely concluded with a warning to the students: “PLEASE NOTE these unintended consequences if you attempt to speak Chinese in the building (Plaza, property on campus) or other professional environment. “
The email was spread on social media, where a second, similar note from Neely from spring 2018 also made the rounds.
The response was quick: Mary E. Klotman, dean of Duke’s School of Medicine, sent her own email, apologizing for Neely’s email, and making it clear that there is no specific language to be spoken on campus.
Update: Here is the letter from Mary E. Klotman, Dean of the School of Medicine. “I asked the University’s Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) to do a thorough review of the Master’s program in Biostatistics …” pic.twitter.com/Z8JksiJywU
– (@siruihua) January 27, 2019
“To be clear, there is absolutely no limitation or restriction on the language you can use to speak or communicate with one another. Your career opportunities and referrals will not be affected in any way by the language you use outside of the classroom. And your privacy will always be protected, ”said Klotman.
Klotman added, “Dr. Neely has asked to resign as Head of Studies for the Master’s program with immediate effect and will be replaced by a provisional DGS which will be announced shortly. “
Although she has been removed from management, she is still an assistant professor. A full review of the School of Medicine’s program is underway, according to the Duke Chronicle.
Image by Tjcalboy [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons
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