When Marquette University announced last week that it was rescinding the offer of a dean’s job it had made to Jodi O’Brien, a sociologist at Seattle University, the move thrust the Wisconsin institution and Ms. O’Brien into the national spotlight.
Professors at Seattle and Marquette, both Jesuit institutions, were quick to express their displeasure that Marquette had qualms about making Ms. O’Brien dean of its College of Arts and Sciences, a move that the university said was triggered by the content of some of her scholarly works but not her identity as a lesbian. Faculty members and students have protested the decision, expressing concerns about academic-freedom violations and potential discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Ms. O’Brien, who is on sabbatical from her post at Seattle, talked about the experience in an e-mail interview with The Chronicle. She declined to give specific answers about her perceptions of Marquette’s motives and how she planned to respond to the withdrawn job offer, but discussed her work and her feelings about the events.
Q. How did you find out that Marquette was rescinding your offer, and what was your immediate reaction to that? Did you have any inkling at all that such a move was in the works?
A. On Monday afternoon, May 3, I received a phone call from the provost and the president. They informed me that they would not be able to proceed with the hire. This outcome took me completely by surprise.
Q. Was your scholarship an issue when you were hired at Seattle University, or since then?
A. My scholarship has never been a concern at Seattle University. I was one of only a handful of openly gay faculty members when I was hired at Seattle. In general my scholarship is mainstream social psychology with an emphasis on institutional dynamics, including religion, education, and law. I began to focus my teaching and writing more centrally on inequality and prejudice (including race/ethnicity, gender, and sexuality) after coming to Seattle University. The dynamic academic environment of Seattle University, the influence of the Jesuit mission, and the urgent need for research and education on discrimination have shaped my scholarship significantly over the past decade.
Q. Marquette and Seattle University, although both Jesuit institutions, aren’t exactly alike. What was so appealing to you about Marquette that you wanted to work there?
A. I wanted to continue to work in a Jesuit university. Marquette is a top Jesuit University with excellent programs. I considered the offer of the deanship very carefully, including the move to Milwaukee and the surrounding political and cultural environment. Ultimately, I was persuaded by the vibrant voices of the faculty and students and their vision for the college. I felt a vocational pull to rise to the challenge of working with them to achieve their goals of national scholarship excellence and expanded engagement with local and regional communities.
Q. The dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Seattle University, in a statement of support, has said that you’re a valued member of the community there, and professors and students at Marquette have criticized the withdrawal of the university’s offer. What do those expressions of support mean to you?
A. The spirited support of my colleagues reflects the inclusivity of the Jesuit mission as I have experienced it at Seattle University over the past 15 years. This mission—with its focus on excellence, faith, leadership, and social justice—has been at the center of my own evolution as a teacher and a scholar. This show of support has deepened my commitment to this mission.
