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III.B.6 Cause For Termination
Termination of the employment of a faculty member with tenure, on a tenure track, or on a full-
time term appointment before the end of the term provided in the faculty member’s full-time
term contract may be effected by the College only for cause (in accordance with the procedures
described in III.B.6. and
III.B.7. ), except under the extraordinary circumstances of
discontinuance or reduction of a program or Department (in accordance with the procedures
described in
III.B.8.and
III.B.9. ), or of financial exigencies of the College (in accordance with
the procedures described in III.B.9.). When the College terminates the employment of a faculty
member due to discontinuance or reduction of a program or Department or due to financial
exigency, the College shall so state in written form. Termination procedures shall not be used to
restrain faculty members in their exercise of academic freedom.
For purposes of this statement, "termination" refers to action taken by the College (a) to
terminate the employment of a faculty member with tenure, or (b) to terminate the employment
of a tenure-track faculty member before the end of the year of an annual appointment, or (c) to
terminate the employment of a faculty member who has a full-time term appointment before the
end of the term provided in the full-time term contract. Any member of the Faculty may be
dismissed at any time for adequate cause. Termination for cause is usually prompt or immediate
because there is just cause. This is different from and does not apply to a decision not to renew
the annual appointment of a probationary non-tenured faculty member. Termination for cause is
also different from the College’s decision not to enter another full-time term contract with a
faculty member whose contract has expired or will expire.
Adequate cause (also referred to as “just cause” or “cause”) for termination is related to the
fitness, performance, or conduct of the faculty member in terms of professional responsibilities.
Adequate cause for termination includes seriously inadequate performance, discrimination
against or sexual harassment of College employees or students, and other just reasons. The
following list contains additional examples of cause for termination. These examples are not
intended to exclude other causes relating to performance of professional responsibilities:
1.
Serious or repeated failure to perform professional responsibilities.
2.
Serious or repeated ineffectiveness in the performance of professional
responsibilities.
3.
Incompetence in teaching, advising, or other professional responsibilities.
4.
Conviction for the commission of a felony.
5.
Conduct which interferes with the performance of professional responsibilities, or
which involves moral turpitude.
When the College decides it has cause to terminate the employment of a tenured faculty member
for cause, the College has the discretion whether to make the termination effective immediately