In its final meeting of the year, the Nebraska Board of Regents met to vote on the termination of a tenured faculty member, finalize new room and board fees for 2023 through 2026, and review speaker sponsorship with student fees, between other elements.
The Board voted to terminate Julie Stone, a biochemistry teacher who has been in the position since 2008 and has been a teacher for 21 years.
University of Nebraska President Ted Carter filed a complaint with a Special Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure, a appointed board of six full professors: October 7, 2020.
Following the complaint, senior faculty in Stone’s department voted, finding that he “lacked the professional competence expected of a tenured faculty member.” The committee unanimously agreed in a final report on August 3, 2022, to recommend that Stone be fired.
During public comment, Stone said this rescission recommendation revolves around his protest of not completing the “ever-evolving” Activity information form. He said his teaching appointment, which involves 80 percent research and typically a three-credit course, has been expanded to three courses after the pandemic.
“I never stopped doing my job,” Stone said. “I just stopped being valued for what I do.”
Along with Stone, another public commenter, a staff member in the Department of Biochemistry, spoke during public comment in protest of the act. He emphasized the importance of tenure protection in the academic environment and said that this should not be taken away from those who have committed no crime.
“The Board of Regents’ decision will affect not just one faculty member, but the entire faculty,” the commentator said. “The larger question of how this decision actually serves the University will be under the microscope, as all of its members in this community have a very vested interest in protecting the academic freedom that is critical to the healthy and proper functioning of the university”.
The regents discussed the termination in closed session, where they reviewed the evidence supporting Stone’s termination in a report from the Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure. After the session, they voted unanimously to fire Stone.
The Board also voted for room and board fees from 2023 through 2026 to have an initial 3 percent increase, previously approved for the 2022-23 school year. After that, a 3 percent annual increase, starting at $12,644 in the 2023-24 school year and rising to $13,413 in 2026.
The proposed increases would cover utilities, food, supplies and employee compensation.
In addition, the policy on sponsoring speakers with student fees was revised, with guidelines in place not to advance any particular point of view. Student organizations, such as the University Program Council, may consider the speaker’s educational advancement and academic standing, but may not consider the speaker’s point of view on any issue in the ‘time to decide how to allocate funds for campus speakers.
The revision also creates an appeals process to ensure that speaker funding complies with this policy.
“The whole point of a college campus is to engage with ideas that you may not always agree with, and I think this policy helps us do that,” said Jacob Drake, a student regent.
Another change is the move from the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies to the existing Degrees in Ethnic Studies. According to the report, the current program has not had enough majors to keep it going. A minor in Latin American Studies will remain available.
Authorization was also granted to continue StarTran bus service for UNL students for the next two years, which has been available since 1994. This service will continue to be funded by university program fees and facilities rates, also known as student fees.
Board President Bob Phares received the title of Regent Emeritus. Phares, the District 7 representative, ended his time on the Board after the meeting after 16 years of service. He will be replaced by Kathy Wilmot.
Along with Phares, Governor-elect Jim Pillen’s term ended after the meeting, and he will take office as governor on January 5, 2023.
The Board of Regents will meet again on Friday, February 10 in Varner Hall.
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