UC-Davis veterinary professor gives up chair post following viral email flap

Davis, Calif.

— A University of California-Davis (UC-Davis) veterinary professor has given up his position as chair of the medicine and epidemiology department at the school’s veterinary college at the request of the university chancellor.

Dr. Edward Feldman, Dipl. ACVIM, professor and chair of the medicine and epidemiology department at the veterinary school, sent a letter to Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi April 25, offering to comply with her request that he step down as department chair in the wake of negative attention brought on the school after Feldman’s handling of a student absence from a course he taught over winter quarter.

Feldman sent an email to his class, asking them to decide what kind of grade to give a student due to absenteeism associated with the student's pregnancy. The email and his comments were widely distributed on Internet.

“I accept responsibility for my poor judgment in handling a student absence,” Feldman wrote. “I deeply regret any offense or embarrassment I may have caused the student,the School of Veterinary Medicine, or UC-Davis for this incident. Although I had the bestinterests of the student and the School of Veterinary Medicine at heart, I recognize nowthat some of my actions showed poor judgment.”

Administrators released Feldman’s letter with his permission, says Patricia Bailey, a spokesperson for UC-Davis.

UC-Davis declined to elaborate further, saying personnel actions are confidential.

"We are pleased that this matter has been resolved to our satisfaction; however, it remains a confidential personnel matter that the university cannot discuss," says Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter.