A professor of Asian studies at the University of Notre Dame has withdrawn from her appointment as the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies director after facing backlash for abortion-rights views and advocacy.
Susan Ostermann, a researcher and professor at the Keough School of Global Affairs, said Thursday that she will no longer move forward as director due to mounting criticism of her views on abortion. Ostermann was slated to begin serving as director of the school of global affairs in July.
“At present, the focus on my appointment risks overshadowing the vital work the Institute performs, which should be allowed to continue without undue distraction,” Ostermann said in an email, according to Notre Dame’s student newspaper.
Dean of the Keough School Mary Gallagher announced Ostermann’s decision Thursday morning, praising Ostermann for her work.
Ostermann’s studies focus on regulatory compliance, comparative politics, and environmental regulation, with a focus on South Asia. She has worked at the university since 2017 and also serves as a consultant for the Population Council, a global group that advocates abortion access overseas.
Notre Dame is the nation’s most prominent Catholic university, and the appointment quickly sparked debate over how closely university leadership should align with Catholic teaching on abortion.
Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend was among the first prominent critics, saying the selection caused “dismay” and urging the university to reverse the decision.
Rhoades argued that Ostermann’s appointment conflicted with the institution’s Catholic identity and mission. Several other Catholic leaders and lay groups backed Rhoades’s statement.
Opposition also came from within the university community. Donors, faculty, and students were described as “livid,” with some distancing themselves from the Liu Institute.
Critics pointed to Ostermann’s academic writing and public commentary discussing abortion, one of which said “abortion kills babies” is a lie. Her work has included that abortion restrictions harm women and that access to abortion is tied to broader social and economic outcomes.
In a 2022 op-ed Ostermann co-wrote, she warned of the dangers of restricting abortion.
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“Criminalizing abortion results in irreparable harm,” the op-ed reads. “In fact, it actually has the opposite policy effect that anti abortion advocates say they want: It can increase abortion rates, unintended pregnancies and infant mortality.”
While Rhoades characterized Ostermann’s stance as being for abortion-rights, other Catholics have argued that Catholic intellectual tradition encourages debate and engagement with contested moral questions rather than exclusion of opposing views.
