UT-Tyler admits tenured professor not offered due process, vows to rectify 'immediately'
The American-Statesman reported Friday that a tenured associate professor at the University of Texas at Tyler was fired without the due process required by the University of Texas System tenure policies and state law.
According to an email obtained by the American-Statesman, UT-Tyler President Kirk Calhoun notified the faculty on Saturday that a professor was terminated without due process against the university’s policies and values, and that the situation will be addressed promptly.
“In recent weeks, a UT-Tyler faculty member was not afforded full due process in accordance with UT-Tyler and UT System policies in a termination case,” the email said. “This matter will be rectified immediately.”
More: 'Challenging this termination': UT-Tyler professor fired without due process, emails say
On Oct. 16, Mickie Mwanzia Koster, a UT-Tyler associate professor of history on Africa and the African Diaspora, received an email from Neil Gray, the dean of UT-Tyler’s College of Arts and Sciences, that said she was terminated for violating two operating policies, according to emails obtained by the American-Statesman.
Gray’s email outlined the grounds for termination but did not mention Mwanzia Koster’s tenure or offer due process.
In an email to the UT-Tyler Faculty Senate, president, provost and human resources department, Mwanzia Koster challenged the termination, pointing to the UT System’s Rule 31008, a policy outlining the regulations for terminating a faculty member.
“Please help me understand the university’s procedure for termination of a tenured faculty member,” Mwanzia Koster’s email said. “I was not aware that I violated rules (not given any warnings or anything); the university process for tenure was not followed based on these rules.”
Rule 31008 states that if a decision is made to fire a tenured professor, the professor must be given due process, such as written notice of the allegations and an opportunity to respond. This includes the chance to be interviewed and present a grievance, as well as meet with the president about the allegations and respond after “a reasonable amount of time.”
Mwanzia Koster’s email also stated that she was not afforded a hearing from the Faculty Senate or a meeting with the president or offered disciplinary action.
The Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors emailed Calhoun on Oct. 25 expressing “serious concern” about the termination and asking him to rescind it.
The National AAUP also emailed the president asking him to withdraw the termination, writing that the case violates “basic standards of academic due process.”
In Calhoun’s Oct. 28 email, he also wrote that UT-Tyler will follow the UT System policy for every case and uphold due process.
“UT Tyler values and respects faculty rights, established due processes, and UT System requirements,” the email said. “We will follow appropriate procedures in all instances.”
Beverley Golden, associate vice president of communications at UT-Tyler, declined to comment on the specific case but wrote “concerning process, the university will be following Regents’ Rule 31008.”
UT System Rule 31008 includes the tenure dismissal reasons listed by Senate Bill 18, a new law that regulates tenure at public universities that went into effect Sept. 1.
Subsection C-1 of SB 18 defines 10 reasons a tenured professor can be terminated, including violating university policies “substantially related” to performance of their duties. However, subsection C-4 states that faculty must be provided with due process.
In a statement Oct. 28, Brian Evans, the interim president of Texas AAUP Conference, wrote that Mwanzia Koster “has not yet received details as to how the university will rectify the harm she has experienced as a result of its violation of her due process rights.”
Mwanzia Koster did not respond to requests for comment.
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: UT Tyler admits tenured professor not offered due process
