Hamline University President Dr. Fayneese S. Miller, who has received backlash for the university’s treatment of a faculty member who showed images of the Prophet Muhammad in an art history class, will be retiring next year in June, The New York Times reported.
Miller, Hamline’s first Black president, had initially defended the school’s decision to not reappoint adjunct professor Erika López Prater, who had shown students images of the Prophet Muhammad, with warnings beforehand.
This move prompted debates and controversies about academic freedom and Islamophobia. Prater also sued the university’s board for defamation and religious discrimination. Hamline later backtracked.
In January, Hamline 116 full-time faculty voted 71-12 to support a statement that said they no longer had faith in Miller’s ability to lead the school forward.
The Apr. 3 announcement of Miller’s retirement did not mention the controversy.
During her tenure, Miller saw student protests and declining enrollment but also increasing numbers of and support for students of color at Hamline.
