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Purdue faculty senate renews call for the resignation of Purdue Northwest Chancellor Thomas Keon

The Purdue faculty senate has renewed calls for the resignation of Purdue University Northwest Chancellor Thomas Keon (Photo courtesy of Purdue University Northwest).
The Purdue faculty senate has renewed calls for the resignation of Purdue University Northwest Chancellor Thomas Keon (Photo courtesy of Purdue University Northwest).

Purdue University’s faculty senate has renewed calls for the resignation of Purdue Northwest’s Chancellor Thomas Keon.

Keon made national headlines last year after his racist impersonation of Asian languages at a graduation ceremony went viral. The incident led the Purdue Northwest faculty senate to call for his resignation and take a no-confidence vote in his leadership.

Purdue University officials initially accepted Keon’s apology for the incident and then, following the no-confidence vote, issued a formal reprimand of his behavior.

Now, the full Purdue University faculty senate has renewed calls for Keon’s resignation, with over 80% of senate members voting in favor of a resolution calling for him to either resign or be ousted by the Purdue board of trustees.

“This would demonstrate Purdue’s support for diversity, equity, and inclusion,” the resolution said. “To not do so would send the opposite message.”

A Purdue University spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

Clarification: a previous version of this story said that over 80% of faculty voted in favor of the resolution. It is more accurate to say that over 80% of Purdue faculty senate members voted in favor of the resolution. That change has been made.