Incident at UW-Eau Claire: English Department Chair on Administrative Leave for Flipping College Republicans’ Table

The chair of the English Department at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has been placed on administrative leave after allegedly flipping the College Republicans’ table on campus. The incident occurred on Election Day, where the student group was promoting conservative-backed candidates.

UW-Eau Claire Interim Provost Michael Carney expressed deep concern over the disruption of the students’ peaceful effort to share information on campus. He emphasized the university’s commitment to free speech and expression, as well as the importance of civil dialogue and peaceful engagement in the learning environment.

The faculty member involved, identified as José Felipe Alvergue, has been placed on administrative leave pending a comprehensive investigation by the Office of General Counsel. The UW-Eau Claire College Republicans condemned the incident, calling it a violent attack and stating that such behavior will not be tolerated.

Tatiana Bobrowicz, the chair of the College Republicans, recounted the professor flipping their table right after she had finished setting it up. The university’s director of media relations, Mark Pitsch, commended UW-Eau Claire for taking swift action and confirmed that they will be working together to conduct the investigation.

The news of a faculty member allegedly resorting to violence against students on campus has sparked outrage and raised questions about the boundaries of free speech and expression in academic settings. The investigation into the incident will shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the event and the appropriate actions to be taken.