The 28-year-old professor of gender studies at the University of Cincinnati, who gave her student a ZERO grade for using the term “biological women,” will be formally reprimanded and sentenced to free speech training
The University of Cincinnati has officially rebuked a gender studies professor who complained about a student’s use of the term “biological woman” and ordered the professor to attend a free speech class.
Melanie Nipper, a 28-year-old associate professor of sex studies at the University of Cincinnati, criticized student Olivia Krolczyk’s use of the term in an essay on trans women in sports.
Nipper told her, “The terms ‘biological women’ are exclusive and not allowed in this class as they further reinforce heteronormativity.”
“Please re-evaluate your topic and edit it to focus on women’s rights (not just ‘women’). I will then downgrade the rating.”
Krolczyk posted a TikTok on May 7th complaining about the incident. The clip has now been viewed more than a million times and has garnered media coverage nationwide: Krolczyk now has 10,000 Twitter followers and uses her social media accounts to speak out against trans women in sport and to take a stand on LGBTQ controversies.
On Thursday, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Nipper had been reprimanded by the university.
Melanie Nipper, an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati, was fined by the university after a student complained about receiving a zero grade for one of her projects
Olivia Krolczyk said in May she received a zero for using the term “biological women” in her Women’s Gender Studies in Pop Culture course
If a student is using “outdated terminology,” Nipper added when she received the zero mark (here with an accompanying explanation), she will always take the opportunity to correct those errors
She was instructed to complete her education and submit her curriculum for the upcoming school year to her department head.
The university document obtained by the newspaper said: “Please note that this is to be taken as a formal reprimand for your actions.”
“A copy of this letter will be placed in your permanent records. It is also understood that any other violation of UC policies may result in further disciplinary action up to and including termination.
“You are reminded that as an unrepresented, unclassified ‘at will’ employee, your employment may be terminated with or without cause.”
The letter also required that “you must complete training on the requirements of the campus free speech policy” and that she must submit “all syllabuses” “at least two weeks before classes begin” for review and approval.
Nipper defended her actions to the university.
Nipper remained defiant, insisting that she was correct in evaluating Krolczyk’s work
Meanwhile, Krolczyk has become an activist campaigning for LGBTQ issues online
She told them that “my restriction of harmful language” was “necessary to ensure a safe learning environment in the course discussions and for the pedagogical purpose of teaching introductory WGSS theory.”
She said she teaches from an “intersectional, 4th wave, and transnational feminist perspective” and argued that the student’s chosen topic for her project was “inappropriate as it targets trans women as a source of oppression of cis women in sport.” “.
Nipper added, “I felt it was necessary to educate them about inclusive language to ensure a safe learning environment for other students in the course discussion forums.”
Nipper previously defended her mark to The Cincinnati Enquirer.
She said her support for free speech lapses when “you are, intentionally or unintentionally, complicit in systemic harm of any kind” — including speech she deems transphobic or racist.
She said her assessment of Krolczyk’s work was fair.
“No zero for the course, no zero for a task,” she explained.