Controversial professor, former Weather Underground member and alleged "pal" of Barack Obama's is calling is stepping down from his post at the University of Illinois at Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Ayer's has been a teacher at the university for the past 20 years and will make his official announcement within the next few week, UIC Education Dean Vicki Chou tells the paper.
He gained unprecedented noteriety during the 2008 presidential campaign when he was linked to Barack Obama. He was the subject of the famous Sarah Palin quip about Obama: "Our opponent ... is someone who sees America it seems as being so imperfect that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country."
The Tribune didn't cite a reason for Ayers planned departure but said it had nothing to do with the negative press that has followed him since the election.
