Sarah Taylor, a religion professor who was denied tenure in the spring, found out through an e-mail this summer that Northwestern rescinded its prior decision and granted her tenure.

Taylor, who was promoted to the rank of associate professor on July 12, said she received an official letter from the Dean’s Office a few days later. The religion department decided to hold off on publicizing the news because it was unsure if the decision was official, Taylor said.

“We didn’t want to break good news and then have to take it back,” Taylor said. “So we all waited and waited until we were really and truly sure that this decision would stick.”

Dozens of students organized an effort last year to encourage the university to grant Taylor tenure, alleging that gender discrimination played a role in the university’s decision.

Taylor, who taught Introduction to Native American Religions and African American Religions in the spring, said she will teach Theory and Methods of Religion this Fall Quarter. She will teach a course on religion and death in American culture in Winter Quarter. She also will continue teaching Introduction to Native American Religions in the spring.

Taylor said she is thrilled to continue serving the academic community at NU.

“The courage and capacity to rethink a decision is the mark of institutional intelligence,” she said. “It also demonstrates good leadership.”

The university keeps information about the tenure process, and how tenure decisions are rescinded, confidential. John Margolis, the associate provost for faculty affairs, wrote in an e-mail to The Daily that he is “unable to assist in the matter.”

The Provost’s Office also wrote in an e-mail to The Daily that NU and the provost do not discuss personnel issues.

Taylor submitted her case to the appeals board in the spring. According to the appeals guidelines, an elected faculty group reviews members on three grounds: inadequate consideration, academic freedom violation and impermissible discrimination.

In May, The Daily reported on NU’s decision not to grant tenure to Taylor, citing past gender discrimination issues with female faculty members.

Students, faculty, staff, outside scholars and parents supported Taylor and protested NU’s decision.

“The outpouring of support was truly overwhelming,” Taylor said. “I was very moved by it.”

Reach Emily Glazer at [email protected].