UCLA’s ‘homeless’ PhD professor Dr. McKeown placed on leave after viral rant over low pay

Dr. Daniel McKeown, a lecturer in astrophysics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), has garnered significant attention after revealing his struggles with homelessness and low pay in a viral TikTok video. In this video, McKeown disclosed that his annual salary of $70,000 is not enough to cover living expenses in Los Angeles, prompting him to speak out about his situation. He has claimed that his candid remarks led to retaliation from the university, culminating in his placement on administrative leave.

Personal Struggles and Housing Situation

In his TikTok video, which has accumulated over 1.6 million views, McKeown stated, "Hi everyone, My name is Daniel, and I'm an astrophysics professor at UCLA. I'm only being paid $70,000 for this academic year. Technically, I am homeless. I do not have a place of my own. I'm not on any lease." He expressed that this salary is insufficient for the high cost of living in Los Angeles, where housing can be particularly expensive. McKeown explained, “I was paid so poorly last year and currently that I was forced to move all my belongings into a public storage unit, and I can no longer live in my one-bedroom apartment in Westwood.”

As a result of his financial constraints, he moved into a friend’s place in San Diego, where he began teaching remotely. McKeown elaborated on the extent of his struggles, stating, “I couldn’t even blame you, because who would want to go and get 10-plus years of advanced education, only to be spit on [by] his own society and his own university system of which he’s a graduate.”

Claims of Retaliation by UCLA

Following his public comments, McKeown alleged that he faced retaliation from UCLA. He stated in a TikTok post on October 19, “UCLA has placed me on administrative leave; they've taken all of my courses that I am teaching this fall away from me without my permission.” He accuses the chair of his department, Stuart Brown, of not supporting him when he requested an accommodation from his doctor, which would allow him to teach online indefinitely. “It's because Brown has not approved an accommodation that I received from my doctor saying that I should be allowed to teach online indefinitely,” McKeown said.

His conflict with Brown included an ultimatum that he must return to in-person teaching starting October 21, despite his claims of being unable to do so because of his homelessness. He argued that Brown’s actions have compounded his difficulties, stating, “Instead of trying to work with me to negotiate a good strategy so that I could afford to move back to Los Angeles and having some compassion for my struggles and the homelessness that’s been the cause of my problem, he’s placed me on leave and he’s retaliated against me.”

Broader Issues in Academic Salaries

McKeown’s situation has sparked widespread discussions about the financial challenges faced by university educators, particularly in high-cost areas like Los Angeles. He highlighted that he attempted to renegotiate his contract for a more sustainable salary of $200,000 to cover living expenses. McKeown claimed, “The chair of my department, Stuart Brown, doesn’t care about how poorly I’m being paid and the fact that he’s cheapened the value of physics for the entire generation.”

In his statements, he expressed concern that the low pay might deter students from pursuing careers in physics. “My university doesn’t value what I do, and the leadership values money and profits over anything else,” he stated.

As McKeown continues to navigate his situation, he remains active on social media, posting recorded lectures on his YouTube account during his leave from campus. The incident raises critical questions about how universities value their faculty and the financial realities of academic life, particularly in expensive urban environments.