UC instructor questioned for emailing about ‘Chinese virus’

CINCINNATI – A University of Cincinnati dean is investigating an email to an engineering student in which an adjunct instructor refers to the coronavirus as "the Chinese virus."

The email came after the student had to miss a lab session to quarantine for possible exposure to COVID-19.

“I think that the school should take disciplinary actions against the professor because (his) actions completely violate the school's values," student Evan Sotzing, 20, told The Cincinnati Enquirer.

University spokeswoman M.B. Reilly said the "matter has already come to the attention of the dean, who is already looking into this on behalf of the student."

Sotzing said he has contacted UC'S Dean of Engineering and Applied Science John Weidner, whom he says is "looking into it."

Weidner said he 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.

"These types of xenophobic comments and stigmatizations around location or ethnicity are more than troubling. We can better protect and care for all when we speak about COVID-19 with both accuracy and empathy – something we should all strive for," Weidner wrote to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Sotzing received the email from John Ucker, who is an adjunct instructor in UC'S College of Engineering and Applied Science. He did not reply to a request for comment from the Enquirer.

Sotzing, a third-year engineering student, had emailed Ucker that he would not be able to attend an inperson lab scheduled for last week because his girlfriend had tested positive for COVID-19. He was then told by the university's health officials that he needed to quarantine himself for two weeks.

Ucker eventually replied to Sotzing's email: "For students testing positive for the chinese (sic) virus, I will give no grade," the email reads. "You can read the info I sent to the class re: the torsion test."

Sotzing replied to the teacher: "I don't want to infect anyone else, if I do have it, but I also don't want to fail school."

Sotzing said he is not clear whether Ucker's message meant he was getting a zero grade or whether the professor was merely not grading the assignment.

He says he was offended by what he called "racist language" from Ucker in the email, and the notion that Ucker might punish a student for adhering to health guidelines.

"This kind of language is completely unacceptable. And especially from people, like, in power... it has no place in this country and it contributes to Asian xenophobia," Sotzing said.

Sotzing posted the professor's email response on Twitter Thursday afternoon.

Within three hours, the post had more than 6,000 likes and over 2,000 retweets.

"He needs to apologize for the fact that he made that comment," Sotzing told The Enquirer.

News of the investigation came on the same day that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure condemning anti-asian bigotry and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Increased numbers of AsianAmericans have reported harassment and even physical assaults amid political rhetoric that is blaming China for the pandemic.

President Donald Trump, himself, also has called COVID-19 “the Chinese virus.”