Who can fire an instructor from a college or an university?
<<< 1. University Administration: >>>
Department Heads/Deans:
They often play a key role in the initial stages of disciplinary action, including investigations and recommendations for termination.
<<< Provost/President: >>>
The provost (chief academic officer) and/or the president (chief executive officer) typically have the final say in terminating a faculty member, especially in cases involving serious misconduct or financial exigency.
<<< Human Resources: >>>
HR departments are involved in the formal procedures and legal aspects of termination.
<< 2. Faculty Status: >>
[Tenured Faculty:]
Terminating a tenured professor is significantly more difficult and usually requires a documented case of serious misconduct, financial exigency, or program elimination.
[Non-Tenured Faculty:]
Faculty on term contracts or without tenure have less protection and can be terminated more easily, often with notice as specified in their contracts.
<< 3. Reasons for Termination: >>
< Misconduct: >
This can include plagiarism, research misconduct, harassment, ethical violations, and criminal activity.
< Poor Performance: >
This may involve consistent failure to meet teaching expectations, lack of research productivity, or neglect of duties.
< Financial Exigency: >
Universities facing financial hardship may need to reduce faculty positions.
Program or Department Elimination:
If a program is discontinued, the faculty associated with it may be terminated.
< 4. Faculty Senate Involvement: >
While not always directly involved in the termination decision, the faculty senate (or similar body) often has a role in reviewing policies related to faculty employment and may be consulted in cases of significant disciplinary action.
< 5. Student Complaints: >
Students can file complaints against faculty members, but these complaints typically go through the university’s established grievance process. The university administration will then investigate the complaint and determine if disciplinary action is warranted.
