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Northwestern Accused of Mistreating Professor Wu
19 Feb
Summary
- Scholars demand apology for treatment of Professor Jane Wu.
- Wu faced NIH probe, then university restrictions and pay cut.
- Lawsuit alleges discrimination against Wu by the university.
More than 1,000 scholars nationwide have urged Northwestern University to apologize for its treatment of Professor Jane Wu, who died by suicide in July 2026. Wu, who spent 19 years at Northwestern, was investigated by the NIH for alleged China connections but cleared in 2023. Despite this, the university restricted her research, reduced her pay starting in January 2026, and closed her laboratory by May 2026.
In May 2026, Wu was escorted from her workspace and involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric facility, before her death by suicide on July 10, 2026. Her estate has sued, alleging race, gender, national origin, and disability discrimination. The Asian American Scholar Forum and Federation of Asian Professor Associations organized the letter, highlighting a pattern of unjust scrutiny towards Asian American researchers.
Scholars warn that Wu's experience reveals systemic issues in how academic institutions treat Asian American faculty. The climate of fear created by past initiatives disproportionately affects researchers of Asian descent, exacerbating mental health risks. Wu's case underscores an institutional failure to support faculty, with Northwestern denying allegations and seeking to dismiss the lawsuit.
