KU Faculty Upset With Regent Policy

A group of University of Kansas faculty hosted a virtual town hall meeting protest against a new Board of Regents policy that makes it easier to fire, dismiss, or suspend university employees, including tenured faculty.

The regents approved the temporary policy last month, citing economic strains caused by the coronavirus pandemic and reduced state aid for higher education.

Five of the six public universities in Kansas said they will not use the policy.

Kansas Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said the school will create a framework for implementing the policy, but she hopes it never has to be used, The Lawrence Journal-World reported.

While the policy affects all university employees, most of the criticism has focused on the potential damage to tenure.

As of last week, 1,003 Kansas faculty and staff and 6,795 organizations and individuals signed statements calling on the university not to pursue the policy.