Former Macalester professor charged with damaging student’s backpack with urine

Prosecutors have a charged a former Macalester College professor with felony criminal damage to property after a student reported she believed he urinated on her backpack.

Paul Jerome Fischer, 55, later told police he believed a cup of urine had accidentally spilled on the student’s belongings.

Fischer, of St. Paul, was a chemistry professor and worked at Macalester in St. Paul for 25 years.

After the student’s report, law enforcement contacted the college’s Department of Public Safety “and learned that an investigation had been conducted, and it was discovered that an individual had been caught urinating around campus and that the individual resigned pending the investigation,” according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.

The individual was identified as Fischer, the complaint said.

Between Nov. 11 and Dec. 5, there were six reports of urination happening in the Olin-Rice Science Center on campus “and included urine located in trash cans, individuals’ water bottles, and inside other professors’ decorations,” the complaint continued.

St. Paul police received the student’s report on Feb. 2. She reported she was studying in the Olin-Rice Science Center on Dec. 5, sitting in a common area outside of Fischer’s office.

She left the table for about six minutes and found urine on her backpack when she returned. She believed Fischer urinated on her backpack “because he was the only one around the area during the incident,” the complaint said.

Law enforcement spoke with Fischer during the investigation. He said for the last 1½ to 2 years “he developed a habit of urinating in a cup and disposing the contents in either trash cans or lab sinks around campus,” the complaint continued.

On Dec. 5, Fischer said he was emptying a container of urine into a trash can near his office, which was also near the desk where the student was sitting. He believed the cup of urine had spilled on her belongings.

Items in the student’s backpack were damaged and the student provided an itemized receipt for the property that totaled $2,070.

Fischer was charged by summons and is due to make his first court appearance next month. An attorney for him wasn’t listed in the court file as of Thursday afternoon and Fischer could not be reached for comment.

Babs Santos, Macalester’s director of media relations and public affairs, said in a Thursday statement: “Macalester College is aware of the criminal charge against Paul Fischer. Fischer’s employment with Macalester ended during the 2025–26 academic year.”