Department chair on unpaid leave for offensive salute

By Hannah Newman

Performing arts department chair Todd Dellinger has been placed on unpaid administrative leave for the remainder of the Spring 2025 semester after emulating a raised-arm gesture that resembled the Nazi salute at a recent department meeting, according to a universitywide email from President Gregory Dell’Omo and Provost DonnaJean Fredeen on Feb. 1. 

Performing arts students, staff and faculty attended a department meeting on Jan. 27 where Dellinger closed out the assembly by stating, “…and second semester seniors, I salute you,” and held two fingers to his eyebrow making a saluting gesture, according to a student attendee that directly witnessed the gesture and wished to remain anonymous. 

After his traditional salute, he finished his sentence by stating “or should I say…” and imitated Elon Musk’s salute at Trump’s inauguration that has been seen as the Nazi salute to many, according to the student.

Following initial reactions to the salute, about two hours later Dellinger sent an apology email in which he called the gesture “sardonic,” and stated, “I tend to use sarcasm as a means of calling attention to the utter absurdity of a moment or a moment in time – in some way thinking perhaps that to make fun of it is to give it less power…. And I humbly and with all humility and admittance of utter and absurd stupidity offer my sincere apology.”

According to Rider’s Title IX Director and Equal Opportunity Compliance Ryan McKinney, a report of the incident was made but he could not disclose any further details. 

Dellinger declined an interview but wrote in an email to The Rider News on Jan. 29, “The disconnect between the mocking of the absurdity of Musk, the gesture he made and the absurd and troubling story that it tells of this moment in time, and the inherent undercurrent challenges and fears that most of us fully believe inspire it, is clearly something which demanded more careful forethought. I am at the entire opposite of the spectrum on everything he and those which enable & support & believe in him and, who sadly have the power to shape this moment in time, stand for and believe.”

The subsequent email from Dell’Omo and Fredeen stated, “This gesture is reprehensible and has no place at Rider University.”

President of Hillel and senior education major Ethan Handelman said he emailed Dell’Omo about the incident and received a thoughtful response. Handelman added that Chief Diversity Officer and Director of the Teaching and Learning Center Heeyoung Kim reached out to him and offered resources to Hillel following the event.

“One of the best ways to foster an understanding of the issue at hand would be to educate. I would totally be willing to meet with Professor Dellinger and just have a genuine conversation, just to get more understanding of multiple different issues at hand,” said Handelman. “I really appreciate [support from the university] … I grew up being the only Jewish person for the most part in my town [in the U.S.] and then at school there’s a Jewish community, but it’s relatively small, but it’s still nice to know that people in administration have our back.”

Dellinger has been placed on unpaid administrative leave for the remainder of the spring 2025 semester, pending further investigation. He will not be teaching classes, serving as department chairperson or participating in any university activities during this time, according to the email.

Dellinger was teaching three classes this semester. On Feb. 1, students in those classes received an email from Kelly Bidle, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, that those classes were canceled that week and the university is currently seeking instructional coverage, according to the email. 

Junior arts and entertainment industries major Emma Zatkowski, who was looking into internships, was nervous about Dellinger’s absence as his guidance as an adviser is pivotal. 

“I was actually supposed to meet with him this week to discuss my internship opportunities. He told me, even if a company didn’t have any internship posted, just to include on a list for him to go over with me, and that he might know somebody at these companies, and could reach out directly to them for me,” said Zatkowski. “I’m not able to have that guidance for my internships.”

A student in Dellinger’s 400-level class who wishes to remain anonymous said, “Dell’Omo finished his message by claiming his commitment to making all students feel respected. However, I feel incredibly disrespected as a student because finding a solution for the problem caused for students by dismissing was the president’s last priority, and now I’m left scrambling and worried about fulfilling my education goals and requirements. For this class in particular [New York Arts Networking], Todd is irreplaceable.”

Contract Administrator and Chief Negotiating Officer for Rider’s American Association of University Professors chapter Jeffrey Halpern explained that chairpersons are not members of the AAUP. However, Dellinger has resigned his chairmanship, and the AAUP is now providing him representation as a member of the bargaining unit, according to Halpern. 

“I’ve begun the process of collecting information, putting the university on notice that we will be representing Professor Dellinger and coordinating with him and with our attorneys about next steps,” said Halpern. “There was no due process. There was no process that was at least apparent. It’s not clear what information was relied upon, nor was Professor Dellinger provided any opportunity to appeal the decision. We’re also looking into, you know, the question of whether or not Professor Dellinger’s academic freedom rights were given due weight in the decision.”

Halpern mentioned that in his career of over 30 years, he has never seen such a “public shaming” of somebody. “These [faculty discipline matters] are kept confidential on a need to know basis, the details not stood out there,” said Halpern. “So again, it raises questions of why, in this case, a public shaming so that one faces not only the direct consequences of discipline, but the loss of reputation in both the wider community and inevitably in the broader public.”

On Feb. 3, an email signed by 110 concerned parents of students and alumni from the department of performing arts was sent to Dell’Omo, Fredeen, Bidle, Board of Trustees and Halpern addressing issues the group has with Dellinger’s release and why his absence will harm the program. 

The email addresses four issues, each with a paragraph below it titled, “Action Requested,” for which the community details what they see as a resolution.

The email stated that Dell’Omo and Fredeen’s email “failed to give a balanced view of the incident which harmed not only Mr. Dellinger’s stellar reputation but also caused severe and additional damage to the affected programs, its students and us as parents… . The action taken was premature, without due process that would require input from those directly impacted by these circumstances.”

The actions requested in the email were to prioritize the investigation into this matter, “reinstate Dellinger in capacity that minimizes harm to the senior showcase to ensure students receive the expected value of the program,” share Dellinger’s apology to the same distribution list as the email that was sent announcing his discipline, provide sensitive training to Dellinger in lieu of the purely punitive actions that removed him from his classroom, and a meeting with those making decisions regarding this matter, according to the email sent by the performing arts community. 

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