DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It appears Father Jay Fostner is no longer part of St. Norbert College.
St. Norbert College President Brian Bruess wrote a letter to faculty and staff Friday outlining organizational changes. In the letter, Bruess wrote the reorganization ‘includes the elimination of the current role of Vice President for Mission and Student Affairs held for the last nine years by Fr. Jay Fostner.’
Bruess also writes, ‘I would like to recognize Fr. Jay for his 21 years of service to the College’ and ‘Please join me in thanking Fr. Jay for his many contributions to the College and in wishing him all the best.’
Fostner has been the central figure in student, alumni, and staff criticism of the school’s handling of sexual assault reports.
In January 2019, Bruess announced an independent investigator found the school had solid policies for addressing sexual assault reports and no faculty or staff needed to be fired. However, Mindy Rowland, the Madison lawyer who conducted the investigation, later stated the school came to its own conclusions from her findings.
In May 2019, it was announced Fostner would be taking his first sabbatical from St. Norbert. It was to begin in July and last one year.
Montie Chavez, communications manager for St. Norbert Abbey, says Fostner will return from his sabbatical in June. There is no future ministry assignment for Fostner. A recommendation will eventually be submitted to the Abbott, who will have the final say on where Fostner ends up.
The college declined a request for an interview, but sent the following statement:
“St. Norbert is grateful to the Rev. Jay Fostner for the contributions he made to the college during his 21 years of service. Under his leadership, the college has seen many improvements integrating mission into our facilities through art, reflection spaces, and expressions of Norbertine heritage; enhancements to the Center for Norbertine Studies, the Norman Miller Center for Peace, Justice & Public Understanding, and the Sturzl Center for Community Service & Learning; re-articulations of our mission statement; integration of mission and heritage into college hiring practices; the growth of many student affairs departments; and dramatic improvements to our residence halls.”
“I’d say he’s done an untold amount of harm to people at the college,” said Margaret Uselman, a 2017 graduate, who has been one of the people calling for Fostner’s removal. “He deserves to be fired unceremoniously, with as much embarrassment and shame as possible for many years.”
In his letter, Bruess says the school is moving toward an organizational structure ‘more similar to that described in the by-laws of the College, including appropriately autonomous units for the essential functions of student affairs and mission integration.’
Bruess says the school will be looking for a new Title IX Coordinator and Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Student Engagement. Bruess also says detailed plans for the future leadership structure of mission integration will be worked on over the next few months.
