University program chair out of post for chiding election protesters

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A program leader at the University of Rochester will not be returning to that position after he offered to buy bus fare to Canada for student protesters of President-elect Donald Trump if they promised not to return.

Ted Pawlicki, the director of the university's undergraduate computer science program, resigned under pressure after posting his remark on a Facebook page promoting a campus demonstration dubbed "Not My America" that was held Friday.

"A bus ticket from Rochester to Canada is $16," Pawlicki wrote on the page a day before the event. "If this is not your America, then I will pay for your ticket if you promise never to come back."

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The comment, which was subsequently deleted, drew swift condemnation from scores of people, some of whom called Pawlicki "a bully" and "tone-deaf" and reported his remarks as a bias incident.

Pawlicki resigned after the demonstration. His departure was first reported by the university's student newspaper, the Campus Times.

"I apologize for my Facebook post of Thursday, November 10th," Pawlicki wrote in an email to computer science students and faculty announcing his resignation Friday. "These remarks were ill-considered, and I deeply regret any and all hurt they occasioned."

His email went on to state that he decided to step down after consulting with the dean of the engineering school, Wendi Heinzelman, and the chair of the computer science department, Sandhya Dwarkadas.

"Please also be assured that I am absolutely dedicated to the equality of all people," Pawlicki wrote. "I have believed that all my life and have always strived to live according to that principle."

Reached by phone at home on Sunday, Pawlicki said his comment was meant as a joke.

"It was intended to be humorous, actually," Pawlicki said. "Moving to Canada (in reaction to presidential election outcomes) has been a joke since the Reagan administration. I didn't intend it to be malicious, certainly. I don't think there's anything malicious about it, either."

Pawlicki said he had directed the undergraduate computer science program for 18 years and that, "I love the job." He said he would continue in his role as a senior lecturer, an untenured teaching faculty position.

"It was suggested that I step down (as director) by my chair and my dean and I took their advice," Pawlicki said.

The university released the following statement on the matter:

"The university is aware of a faculty Facebook comment that caused concern and for which the faculty member has since apologized," the statement read. "Freedom of expression is a foundational principle at the University of Rochester and for all citizens in the U.S. Students and faculty alike are free to express their views."

Pawlicki said he believes his comments fall under protected free speech.

Follow David Andreatta on Twitter: @david_andreatta