The University of Cincinnati did not renew a contract with a professor accused of calling COVID-19 "the Chinese virus" in a September email to a student, according to university spokesperson M.B. Reilly.
The university launched an investigation after third-year engineering student Evan Sotzing emailed then College of Engineering and Applied Science adjunct instructor John Ucker that he would have to miss an in-person lab due to possible COVID-19 exposure.
In emails forwarded to The Enquirer, Sotzing wrote that he had been told not to attend any in-person classes for two weeks.
"For students testing positive for the chinese (sic) virus, I will give no grade," Ucker responded.
Sotzing posted a screenshot of the email on social media, which received nearly 200,000 interactions. Shortly afterward, UC's Dean of Engineering and Applied Science, John Weidner, said he was "looking into it" and referred the matter for review to the university's Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. That department handles inquiries regarding discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin and other identities, according to their website.
