Professor Zdan let go from Rider University
By Samantha Clark
Assistant Sociology Professor Richard Zdan is no longer employed at the university, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Kelly Bidle announced in an April 17 email to the professor’s students.
Bidle did not disclose why Zdan is no longer employed.
Zdan refused to comment when he was contacted by The Rider News on April 19 and 21.
His departure from the university came after a recording surfaced that raised concern about Zdan’s behavior involving another individual on campus.
Zdan, who has been employed by Rider since 2006, has been removed from the list of sociology and criminology faculty on the University’s official website.
Zdan’s classes were abruptly canceled on April 9, three weeks before finals are scheduled to begin, according to an email from Brooke Hunter, the senior associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. All office hours and scheduled meetings were also canceled.
Olivia Santa Croce, a junior psychology major said, “I have had four classes with Zdan throughout my three years at Rider. I have enjoyed every class I have had with him. … He is passionate about teaching students, and that showed.”
Santa Croce added, “It is honestly just really disappointing,” she said of the circumstances surrounding Zdan’s departure, calling him a “great professor” who allegedly displayed “unacceptable” conduct.
Zdan also served as an adviser for sociology and criminal justice students, all of whom were set to be reassigned to a new faculty adviser, but were not included in Bidle’s email to students.
In the April 17 email, Bidle also stated that “all students will receive a grade of P (passing) and 3 academic credits due to this unexpected situation.”
When contacted by The Rider News for further explanation, Bidle wrote in an April 19 email, “When the administration was made aware of the situation, the University acted swiftly. Given this is a personnel issue, we are unable to further comment.”
Bidle refused comment again on April 20 when contacted by The Rider News for additional explanation.
Zdan had been an at-large member on the executive committee of Rider’s chapter of the Association of American University Professors. When asked for comment on his future representation from the chapter, Rider’s AAUP President, Professor Maria Villalobos-Buehner, also declined to comment.
