UPDATED
Professor Jose Felipe Alvergue, head of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire English Department, has been placed on administrative leave after allegedly flipping over a table set up by the university’s College Republicans.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning, a special Election Day in Wisconsin, as members of UW-Eau Claire’s College Republicans set up an informational table advocating for conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel and superintendent candidate Brittany Kinser.
“A professor came up and flipped our table in a violent attack towards us,” Tatiana Bobrowicz, the CR chapter chair, stated in a video posted to social media following the incident. “This is unacceptable.”
According to a statement issued by Interim Provost Michael Carney, administration quickly placed Alvergue on administrative leave pending a formal investigation.
Violent Crawford supporter flipped our table this morning. Vote Schimel to bring back justice and civility! pic.twitter.com/0RttOLdMkf
— UWEC College Republicans (@UWEC_CR) April 1, 2025
“I am deeply concerned that our students’ peaceful effort to share information on campus on Election Day was disrupted,” Carney said in a statement given to several news outlets.
“UW-Eau Claire strongly supports every person’s right to free speech and free expression, and the university remains committed to ensuring that the campus is a place where a wide variety of opinions and beliefs can be shared and celebrated.”
“We are working with the Universities of Wisconsin and the Office of General Counsel, which is conducting a comprehensive investigation of this matter. The faculty member involved has been placed on administrative leave pending that investigation,” Carney stated.
Alvergue did not immediately respond to The College Fix’s requests for comment Tuesday. University Director of Communications Michael Knuth declined further comment in an email to The College Fix, citing Carney’s statement to the media.
Chair of the UWEC College Republicans: “The university has since confirmed that this attacker was the Chair of the University’s English Department.” pic.twitter.com/rRcR9u7M4G
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) April 1, 2025
The College Republicans also did not respond to requests for comment from The Fix.
Bobrowicz, in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, said the professor had at first questioned their proximity to a campus polling station, to which she replied the chapter always tabled in that location and UW-Eau Claire had approved it.
“The man told her ‘the time for this is over,’ flipped the table over and walked away. She immediately called police and filed a report. She said UW-Eau Claire later notified her the man was José Felipe Alvergue, who chairs the English department,” the Sentinel reported.
“This takes it to a whole new level,” Bobrowicz told the news outlet. “Not just a professor, but a chair of a department. He’s supposed to set an example for students and here he is setting an example of violence.”
Professor Alvergue, on his personal website, stated that he emigrated from El Salvador during the country’s civil war and grew up near the U.S.-Mexico border. He writes on his website about his commitment to understanding the boundaries of self and societal relationships.
The incident occurred amid statewide attention to the Apr. 1 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, a closely watched contest between liberal-backed Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and conservative challenger, Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel. Crawford’s victory helped liberal justices retain a 4-3 majority on the state’s highest court.
Wisconsin voters also approved ballot measures tightening voter identification requirements and private funding in elections.
Editor’s note: The name of Schimel’s opponent has been fixed.
MORE: UVA professor compares Kamala Harris loss to ‘violence of chattel slavery’
IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: A screeenshot of a flipped College Republicans table and a screenshot of Professor Alvergue’s faculty website.
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