The New York University professor placed on paid leave after denouncing trigger warnings, safe spaces and politically correct culture has been reinstated and promoted by the prestigious university.
According to the New York Post, liberal studies professor Michael Rectenwald was promoted from assistant professor to a full-time professor on Monday. The professor’s promotion also comes with a hefty 18 percent raise and an $80,000 salary.
Professor Rectenwald says he was placed on the paid leave because of his “@AntiPCNYUProf” Twitter account and outspoken stance against the current political environment on campuses.
The university denied claims that the professor was forced to leave, stating that Rectenwald’s leave was voluntary and had nothing to do with his criticism or his tweets.
In an interview with Heat Street, Rectenwald explained that his leave was strongly suggested by the NYU administration, prompting him to hang up his hat.
“No, I wasn’t asking to go on leave. I was having a good semester, I had a good bunch of students, I liked them all and they seemed to be liking me,” Rectenwald said. “Once I made my statements public, all these developments started. I was denounced by several colleagues and two deans in an open letter. As if I can’t have a political view about academia independent of theirs. It has to be opposed officially.”
The New York Post reports that amid the media attention and public outrage over Rectenwald’s leave, NYU emailed the professor, informing him that his six-month-old application for full professorship had been approved.
The Post also says that Wednesday, liberal-studies dean Fred Schwarzbach sent an email to all department faculty reminding them to respect all views, including those they oppose.
Schwarzbach wrote that one of the “program’s core values, is the importance of the free and open exchange of different views, even those with which most of us disagree.”
Despite his promotion, Rectenwald told The Post that he still feels shunned by his colleagues but he hopes for a reconciliation.
“I’d like to have some understanding reached between myself, the dean and the people who felt the need to attack me for no reason,” says Rectenwald. “Rather than write off my views, they could actually listen to what I have to say.”