Archive for Saturday, July 29, 2006
Ruling favors professor in tenure dispute at KU
July 29, 2006
Advertisement
A judge has denied Kansas University's request for dismissal of a lawsuit by a professor who says he didn't get tenure because his colleagues disliked his Republican politics.
KU attorneys argued that Jeffrey Olafsen's suit, filed early this year in District Court, should be thrown out because it wasn't filed on time.
They argued that when Olafsen received a letter in March 2005 denying him tenure, it was a "final agency action" and that he had only 30 days in which to file a lawsuit.
But Olafsen argued KU's final action didn't come until late 2005, when he lost his appeal to a campuswide tenure committee. He filed the suit shortly afterward.
In a ruling this week, Judge Jack Murphy agreed with Olafsen. He wrote that just because KU called the March 2005 letter a final action "does not necessarily make it so."
Olafsen, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy, claims while his tenure was being considered, the department head suggested Olafsen was to blame for research funding cuts because of his support for President Bush. No trial date has been set.
More like this
- Republican political views played role in denial of tenure, lawsuit alleges 119 comments / April 26, 2006
- KU prof withdraws request to dismiss suit December 6, 2000
- Appeal denied in lawsuit against pharmacy program 4 comments / August 29, 2007
- KU ATTEMPTS TO FIRE TENURED PROFESSOR October 12, 1989
- Former professor wins suit against KU April 12, 2000
Top ads RSS
- Now Hiring at our Kansas City Speedway location! Tired of ...
- St. Francis Health Center - NAS Recruitment
- Janitorial Position. Looking for someone with at least one year ...
- Temporary Programmer Univ. of KS, Geological Survey Write function and ...
- Family Services Specialist Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority Full-time grant funded ...
Marketplace
Arts & Entertainment · Bars · Theatres · Restaurants · Coffeehouses · Libraries · Antiques · Services
- Voters share their thoughts on politics in the past year November 8, 2009 · 8 comments
- Blog: Dillons, Hyvee, And Checkers — I'Ve Shopped And Compared. See The Results. November 8, 2009 · 84 comments
- Poll: Would you vote the same way today as you did for president in 2008? November 6, 2009 · 76 comments
- House narrowly passes health care bill November 7, 2009 · 56 comments
- KU task force to focus on retaining students November 8, 2009 · 16 comments
- Killing daughter can’t be matter of honor November 8, 2009 · 25 comments
- Repossessions up amid downturn November 8, 2009 · 15 comments
- On the street: Do you like to Karaoke? November 8, 2009 · 9 comments
- KU coughs it up November 8, 2009 · 15 comments
- Blog: I Am A Stripper. November 3, 2009 · 322 comments
- American heritage: KU contributes to new Native galleries at Nelson-Atkins November 8, 2009
- Away we grow: Sweet potatoes simple, versatile garden crop November 8, 2009
- Consultant: I communicate with animals November 8, 2009
- Baldwin City resident finds his voice through karaoke ‘hobby’ November 8, 2009
- Voters share their thoughts on politics in the past year November 8, 2009
- KU task force to focus on retaining students November 8, 2009
- Young students help battle cancer after classmate with leukemia dies November 3, 2009
- If the shoe fits: Finding the right kids’ shoes doesn’t have to be difficult November 2, 2009
- High School Dropouts, by Molly Fister November 8, 2009
- New, legal, drug has law enforcement concerned — and it's already on a Lawrence store's shelves November 4, 2009
29 July 2006
at 3:35 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…
!!!
29 July 2006
at 9:17 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
yourworstnightmare (Anonymous) says…
Denial of tenure sucks, and I can understand Dr. (Jeff) Olafsen's anger.
However, the fact remains that Dr. Linda Olafsen, the wife of the denied, was granted tenure in the same department in the same year.
29 July 2006
at 10:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…
But if the department head made that comment, the department head should face sanctioning and removal from that position. I know nothing else about Olafsen's denial of tenure, but IF his claim is true regarding the department head's statement, he will have a leg to stand on. And if true, the department head is a moron.
29 July 2006
at 10:50 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (Anonymous) says…
If the statement from the head of the department was factual, then it'll have little impact on Olafsen's suit, unless he can show that it prevented a fair assessment of whether or not he deserved tenure. For the matter, even if it wasn't factual, he'll need to show that it influenced the decision.
Regardless, if the evidence shows he deserves tenure, he should get tenure.
29 July 2006
at 10:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Wilbur_Nether (Anonymous) says…
There is more detail regarding Dr. Olafsen's position at http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/apr…. We know very few of the facts in this case. But I'm pretty sure that there is no law against being a moron. And if there is, let me know where to turn myself in, because I've done plenty of moronic things in my life.