Termination of tenured appointments: MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine (Pennsylvania)

Academe, May/Jun 2000

Thirteen tenured faculty members who had been discharged on November 9, 1998, and who had not made separate severance arrangements were scheduled to vacate their offices and terminate all connections with the medical school by June 30, 1999. Of the thirteen, either five or six were permitted to work for the university after July 1, but on conditions drastically different from those of their previous employment. An example of one such arrangement is as follows.

July 14, 1999

RE: Position of Research Professor of Dear Dr.

It is my pleasure to offer to you a faculty position in the Department of , as Research Professor of

without tenure at the MCP Hahnemann University ("the University") School of Medicine, beginning July l, 1999, to no longer than June 30, 2000 (as outlined in 5). Your academic title, subject to the appropriate School and University approval, will be Research Professor of

Role and Responsibilities:

You will be expected to fulfill to the best of your ability the duties assigned by the Chair of your Department. About 100 percent of your time will be devoted to development of your independent research activities and collaborative research with other members of the department. Your continued employment is dependent upon your covering all of your research expenses, including your salary and fringe benefits, from extramural research funding.

Compensation:

This position will be full time and your base compensation will be at the annualized rate of $42,000. The University shall have the exclusive right and authority to retain all grants or contract revenues, professional services revenues, and fees generated by you, subject to University policies and procedures relating to prizes, honoraria, and similar forms of compensation. Your compensation will only be continued as long as you generate sufficient funds from extramural sources to cover the costs of your research expenses including 100 percent of your salary and fringe benefits.

Policies and Procedures:

Your appointment and the discharge of your academic responsibilities are subject to the provisions of the University and School Faculty Bylaws, the applicable University and School Policies and Procedures....

The University is making no commitment of facilities, laboratory space, or office space to you for the conduct of your research program other than the temporary use of your current research space. When this space is assigned to another person, you will be given adequate notice to vacate this space. Notice of Termination:

... It is specifically understood and agreed that this letter shall control and supersede all other oral, written, express or implied communications, agreements and understandings relating to your faculty employment and/or appointment.

This position will terminate June 30, 2000, or when extramural funds to support all your research activities, including 100 percent of your salary and fringe benefits, are exhausted, whichever comes first.

At least one of the discharged professors (a formerly tenured professor of pathology) applied for two of the newly advertised positions that seemed clearly within his field, but he received no consideration of which he was aware. Six weeks later, he was informed only that his application was "no longer under consideration." As far as the investigating committee knows, none of the discharged professors were considered for "rehiring" into the newly advertised faculty positions, and no reasons were given for not doing so.