Termination of Appointments

Termination of Appointments by Faculty Members

Faculty members may terminate their appointments effective at the end of an academic year, provided that they give notice in writingat the earliest possible opportunity, but not later than May15, or thirtydays after receiving notification of theterms of appointment for the coming year, whichever date occurs later. Faculty members may properly request a waiver of this requirement of notice in case of hardship or in a situation where they would otherwise be denied substantial professional advancement or otheropportunity.

Termination of Appointments by theInstitution

Except in the case of financial exigency or the bona fide discontinuance of a program or department, adequate cause for the dismissal of tenured or probationary faculty will be related, directly and substantially, to their fitness in their capacities as teachers or researchers. Dismissal will not be used to restrain faculty members in their exercise of academic freedom or other rights of American citizens.

Financial Exigency or Discontinuance of Departments or Programs

Where termination of appointment is based upon financial exigency, or bona fide discontinuance of a program or department of instruction, faculty members will be entitled to have the issues reviewed by the faculty, or by a committee of the faculty, with ultimate review of all controverted issues by the Board of Trustees. The dismissal of any tenured faculty member, including under this clause, must be specifically approved by the Board ofTrustees.

If a dismissal or dismissals under this clause are necessary for the health of the institution, the faculty member or members concerned will be given notice as soon as possible, and never less than twelve months’ notice, or in lieu thereof, will be given severance salary for twelve months or a combination of notice and severance salary equaling twelve months. Before terminating an appointment because of the abandonment of a program or department of instruction, the University will makean effort to placeaffected facultymembersin other suitable positions. If an appointment is terminated before the end of the period of appointment, because of financial exigency, or because of the discontinuance of a programof instruction, the released facultymember's place will not be filled by a replacement within a period of two years, unless the released faculty member has been offered reappointment and a reasonable time within which to accept or declineit.

Probationary faculty

Probationary faculty whose performance falls so seriously below the criteria required for promotion that they are unlikely to be able to reach them by the time of their tenure review may be dismissed according to the procedures detailed below.

A probationary faculty member who is not to be reappointed will be notified in writing by the President, not later than March 1 of the first year of academic service (or three months prior to termination of an appointment that ends during the academic year) and not later than December 15 of the second year of service (or six months prior to the end of a contract terminating during the academic year). Probationary faculty members in their third or subsequent year of service who are not to be reappointed will be given written notice of non-renewal twelve months prior to the end of their contract.

Tenured faculty

Except in cases of financial exigency or the discontinuance of departments or programs, tenured faculty may only be dismissed for justifiable cause and through the procedures laid out here.