University Reprimands Associate Professor Who Failed Student for Using Term ‘Biological Women’–Then Rescinds It

A photo of the University of Cincinnati campus in April 2016. Shutterstock

Olivia Krolczyk, a student at the University of Cincinnati, received a zero-percent grade because of her use of the term “biological women.”

After she took to social media with her story—racking up more than 14,000 comments in the process—the university issued a reprimand to the associate professor who failed Ms. Krolczyk on her project proposal.

The university then performed an apparent about-face and rescinded the reprimand, according to Ms. Krolczyk.

The university did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.

‘Not Allowed in This Course’

Ms. Krolczyk, a chemistry major, was taking a Gender Studies in Pop Culture class where she was required to submit a project proposal on the topic of feminism.

Ms. Krolczyk, 20, ran cross-country and track in high school and continued when she started college. She proposed writing an essay about the history of women in sports, including historic gains by trailblazers who advanced women’s sports, and the threat of biological men competing as women in these arenas.

The project would have been worth 100 points—or half the class grade—and the proposal, worth 20 points, came with instructions that it was a developmental exercise, and that assignments turned in on time would receive full credit, she told the New York Post.

However, Ms. Krolczyk was awarded zero points on the proposal, which was returned with the comment: “Olivia, this is a solid proposal. However, the terms ‘biological women’ are exclusionary and are not allowed in this course as they further reinforce heteronormativity. Please reassess your topic and edit it to focus on women’s rights (not just ”females“) and I'll re-grade.”

She reached out to the university’s Gender Equality office and was assured a different professor would review the assignment, but having not received an update, she decided to speak out.

Reprimand Repealed

Ms. Krolczyk made a short video sharing that she had received a failing grade without naming her school, class, or professor.

The video went viral, and both Krolczyk and the unnamed professor started speaking to media outlets.

Adjunct professor Melanie Nipper, 28, told Cincinnati’s The Enquirer that the exposure of this viral incident had taken a toll on her, and that she had received hundreds of messages she deemed “hateful.”

Ms. Krolczyk responded in a video statement that she had kept all parties anonymous precisely to prevent this from happening, and added that The Enquirer had failed to report that Ms. Krolczyk had also been on the receiving end of “hateful” messages. Ms. Nipper had also spoken to other media.

“She is the one who revealed her identity,” Ms. Krolczyk said.

Ms. Nipper, who is a white woman, attributed the “hateful” messages to a worldview “informed by white supremacy, cisheteronormativity, classism, patriarchy, and more.”

However, Ms. Krolczyk responded by stating that “It is not white supremacy to call out my professor for failing me for saying ‘biological woman’ because of her own personal biases and agenda.”

Last month, Ms. Nipper received a reprimand from the university that was later rescinded. According to The Enquirer, an email sent to Ms. Nipper by the College of Art and Sciences Interim Dean Margaret Hanson said the reprimand had been “issued in error,” but that she would still be expected to complete a training course on the university’s free speech requirements.

Ms. Krolczyk, who finished the class with an A, responded on social media, where she has been receiving messages from students across the country who’ve met with similar situations.

“Professor Melanie Nipper and the University of Cincinnati have both proven themselves to be very disreputable and unprofessional at this point. The decision by the school to rescind this reprimand on Professor Nipper for failing me for saying the word ‘biological’ to describe women just goes to show that the school sets rules and policies, but you don’t actually have to follow them, because there won’t be any consequences if you break the rules,” Ms. Krolczyk stated.

“This situation showcases the very real threat that professors with extreme ideologies can pose to students,” Ms. Krolczyk wrote in a separate post.

‘Sickening to See so Many Messages Like This’

Ms. Krolczyk had been sharing updates on social media as the school semester came to an end, and posted snippets of messages she had received, including other students who received failing grades for using language their instructors deemed “exclusionary,” and an anecdote about a high school female athlete and national qualifier who had her opportunity “taken away” by a “gender-confused man.”

“It’s sickening to see so many messages like this,” Ms. Krolczyk wrote, adding that she'd received hundreds of similar messages.

The issue of male athletes competing in women’s athletics while they are claiming to “identify” as women or while undergoing cross-sex treatment is one lawmakers are now grappling with.

On July 5, Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed legislation that would have banned such male athletes from competing in women’s sports.

Competitive swimmer and two-time Olympic trial qualifier Riley Gaines took to social media to remind her followers of an incident in April where a male high school student injured a female high school student during a volleyball match in North Carolina. He spiked a ball that hit Payton McNabb’s face, resulting in a neck injury, concussion, lasting vision impairment, and partial paralysis in the right side of her body, as well as mental anguish.

Ms. Gaines, who competed against biological male athlete Lia Thomas in last year’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, recently testified (pdf) before the Senate on what the women she was competing with lost out on that year.

“Having only one trophy, the NCAA handed it to Thomas and told me I would go home empty-handed,” Ms. Gaines said. “And when I asked why ... actually I appreciate their honesty, because they said it was crucial Thomas had it for picture purposes.”

“I felt betrayed and belittled, reduced to a photo-op,” she said, going on to describe the discomfort of the 18 to 22-year-old women who had to share a locker room with Mr. Thomas. “I know that I do not speak for everyone who competed against Lia Thomas. But I do speak for many because I saw the tears. I saw the tears of the 9th and 7th place finishers who missed out on being named All-American by one place.”