BLOOMINGTON – Indiana University terminated professor Xiaofeng Wang from the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering on Friday, March 28, the same day the FBI searched his Bloomington home.
A termination letter from IU Bloomington Provost Rahul Shrivastav stated the dismissal was “effective immediately” and that Wang would be ineligible for rehire. The letter mentioned Wang’s acceptance of a position at a Singaporean university but did not reference the FBI investigation.
The FBI with the assistance of Homeland Security searched Wang’s Bloomington home and a separate property in Carmel, but provided no details on the investigation saying, they conducted “court-authorized law enforcement activity” at the two homes. After a four-hour search, the FBI left with several boxes filled with suspected evidence. Federal court records have not yet revealed any related cases. Neither Wang nor his wife have been publicly charged with any crimes.
IU’s actions have drawn criticism from the IU-Bloomington chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), which argues that the termination violated university policies regarding due process for tenured faculty. The AAUP’s statement emphasized the need for a hearing and advanced notice. IU policy typically requires a year’s notice for dismissal or a minimum of 10 days for “serious personal misconduct.”
IU has also been removing online profiles and mentions of Wang and his wife, Nianli Ma, from university websites. Ma was listed in IU’s directory as a systems analyst and programmer.
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