Naomi Schor, Smith professor of French and Spanish languages and literature, has accepted a tenured position in Yale's French department, sources from both schools confirmed yesterday.

Schor, an eminent scholar of French feminism and 19th-century French literature, was in Paris yesterday and was not available for an interview.

"My decision is not based on any scientific comparison of the two departments/institutions but on purely personal reasons," she wrote in an e-mail message.

Schor had been on leave from Harvard since September.

The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures has not yet made public her departure. It is not yet known when Schor will leave.

The Yale Daily News reported that the deal to lure Schor had been finalized over the winter break.

Schor's decision to teach at Yale continues the shuffle of noted feminist professors between top universities, as programs in feminist and "queer" literary theory become more and more popular.

Schor, who did her graduate work at Yale, has taught at Duke, Columbia and Brown. She accepted an offer of tenure from Harvard in 1995.

Bradley S. Epps, the recently tenured professor of Romance language and literatures, said he is sorry to see her go.

"I consider her a very close colleague and friend," he said. "I'm going to miss her very, very much."

Epps declined to say if Schor had told him why she decided to leave.

"I know that it was a very difficult decision for her," he said.

Epps and Schor co-taught Romance Studies 180, "Sex and Sexuality in Modern French and Spanish Literature and Film."

"We had been planning to do a number of future courses together--trying to strengthen the ties of the French and Spanish courses," he said.

"Maybe we can find some creative ways of continuing our work together," he said.

Schor's former students praised her scholarshipand her personality.