Protecting Faculty Members’ Rights in Academic Misconduct Cases
NAVIGATING THE HIGHER EDUCATION MINEFIELD: PROTECTING FACULTY MEMBERS’ RIGHTS IN ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT CASES
You may find yourself given no chance to respond to the charges of misconduct leveled against you, to learn the identity of your accusers, to cross examine them, or to appear at a hearing to defend yourself—unless you have a skilled, knowledgeable lawyer to represent you. Do not assume the principles of academic freedom or tenure will protect you. Nor can you assume that your employer’s adjudicatory procedures will be fair and equitable. Firing you, even if you are tenured, may be the most expedient way to quell a controversy. This holds true even for Nobel laureates and winners of other prestigious awards, widely published authors, and faculty members who generate tens of millions of dollars a year in research funding.
If you are accused of misconduct, your entire career hangs in the balance, regardless of tenure. You can lose book deals, speaking engagements, grants, and potential collaborators. Your research can be called into question and your published work pulled from academic j…