Theidon’s filing with the MCAD alleges that members of her department “cautioned her that her tenure would be adversely affected if she became involved in any specific complaint.” She also claims that students were told to stop speaking with her about their sexual harassment because “her tenure process hung in the balance.”

Theidon said Thursday that after she was informed of the University’s tenure decision, her “stunned” department chair, Gary Urton, told her to consult with Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity Judith D. Singer.

In her meeting with Singer, Theidon said, she was told that her “political activity” had been discussed by the tenure committee, which had concluded that scholars generally refrain from such advocacy until after they receive tenure. Theidon said that though Singer did not specify, she is confident that, in the absence of other political activity, her advocacy on sexual assault was the activity in question.

Singer’s office deferred all inquiries on the matter to Faculty of Arts and Sciences spokesperson Jeff Neal. Urton declined to comment for this story.

Although Theidon said that she believed her support of sexual assault victims is at the core of the University’s decision to deny her tenure, Neal told the Crimson Thursday that her alleged advocacy for students did not have any bearing on the matter.

“[T]he University would never consider a faculty member's advocacy for students who have experienced sexual assault when making a tenure decision,” Neal wrote in an email. “Instead, tenure decisions are based on the quality of a faculty member's research, teaching and University citizenship.”

Theidon entered the tenure track as an assistant professor in 2004 and was promoted on time to the rank of associate in 2008. In line with the University’s tenure track protocols, her current appointment at Harvard will expire at the end of the 2013-2014 academic year, on June 30, she said.

Theidon said that in her time on the tenure track, she repeatedly received indication that she was in a good position to receive promotion.

“There was never a moment when I was given anything other than positive indications about where I was headed at Harvard,” she said, pointing to her inclusion in the planning process for what were to be her faculty offices and several instances of praise for her work.

Ultimately, the University President chooses whether or not to grant a professor tenure, but the decision comes after a lengthy consideration process that progresses from the department level to a discussion within an ad hoc committee overseen by the president.

Singer, who, according to Theidon, allegedly cited her political activity as a part of the committee’s reason for denying her tenure, ordinarily sits on this committee. For a candidate in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, other committee members include the FAS dean, the Provost of the University, the candidate’s divisional dean, and five professors in the candidate’s field of study.