Kansas Regents adopt policy changes in name of transparency for firing of tenured faculty
The Kansas Board of Regents approved two measures this week that will require universities to be more transparent in considering firing tenured faculty due to COVID-19 financial challenges.
The moves come after Regents came under intense scrutiny for its January ruling to allow university CEOs to unilaterally fire tenured faculty members if COVID-19 caused certain budgetary challenges. All state universities with the exception of the University of Kansas have ruled out using the controversial practice.
The first policy change requires faculty, staff and student governance groups to provide input, comments and recommendations before a university CEO can get approval of policies, even with dissent from faculty and student groups. The second part requires university CEOs to communicate with their campuses and the Regents about developing those policy frameworks.