Disciplined Humphrey professor still “performing faculty duties”

The Minnesota Daily reported previously that James Ron had resigned, according to his faculty mentor, but that he was still a University employee.

Image by Nur B. Adam

The Humphrey School of Public Affairs as seen on Thursday, Sept. 19.

by Tiffany Bui and Dylan Anderson

Published December 5, 2019

A disciplined Humphrey School of Public Affairs professor will not teach classes for the rest of the academic year.

The Minnesota Daily reported in October that, according to his faculty mentor Ragui Assaad, human rights professor James Ron resigned from teaching, but was still a University employee. The University responded to a request seeking Ron’s potential resignation letter, saying there “is no public data responsive to this request.”

According to Assaad, Ron told him that he resigned. The Humphrey School has never confirmed this to the Minnesota Daily. Ron did not respond to a request for comment.

Assaad declined to comment further for this story.

Ron remains employed by the University but is not currently teaching, according to Humphrey Director of Communications Keith Hovis. However, he is “performing faculty duties on behalf of the University and the Humphrey School,” Hovis said in an email. Ron is currently receiving pay.

Ron was disciplined last year after he was found by the University to have “more likely than not” violated University sexual harassment policy. He returned to teach at the beginning of the fall semester after a five-month unpaid suspension.