Tenured Professor Dismissal Upheld

The Indiana Supreme Court has affirmed the grant of summary judgment to the defendant in a suit brought by a tenured faculty member of the University of Evansville, who sought review of a determination to dismiss him from the faculty.

The action involved an incident between the tenured faculty member and his department head. While the department head was interviewing a prospective student and her parents, the professor walked into the lounge with a female student, said “Hi, Sweetie” to the department head and “walked up to her – standing with his belt buckle at her eye-level, about a foot from her face – and stroked his fingers under her chin and along her neck.”

The incident resulted in a formal complaint, a disciplinary process, the professor’s dismissal, and two lawsuits. (Mike Frisch)