Associate Professor Susan Ostermann stepped down as director of Notre Dame’s Liu Institute amid backlash over her abortion rights advocacy.

Associate Professor Susan Ostermann has withdrawn from her appointment as director of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies at the University of Notre Dame, the university confirmed on February 26, 2026. The decision followed widespread criticism from Catholic bishops, faculty, students, and pro-life advocates over her public support for abortion rights and her work with reproductive health organizations. Ostermann, a political science professor, stated the intense scrutiny threatened to distract from the institute’s mission, though she will remain a faculty member. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between academic freedom and the university’s Catholic identity.