Faculty takes up dismissal issue again

The Faculty Senate passed a resolution Feb. 4 that sends another message to the UW System Board of Regents regarding the dismissal of John Marder from the UW-Superior faculty.

The resolution reminds the Board of Regents that the preservation of academic due process remains of the utmost importance to the UW System.

“Academic due process is important to protect the rights of all members of the university community and the system of tenure that is so essential to the university,” the resolution reads.

The resolution says members of the University Committee, the executive committee of the Faculty Senate, plan to meet with regents about the senate’s concerns.

In November, the senate passed a resolution asking regents to reconsider Marder’s dismissal. That resolution also questioned the standard regents used for deciding to dismiss Marder.

In December, the senate adopted a UC report that addressed the issue of just cause in dismissal cases.

UW-Superior Chancellor Julius Erlenbach first sought Marder’s dismissal in 1999, citing several allegations from students, faculty and staff of unprofessional and uncollegial conduct. A UW-Superior faculty committee agreed Marder’s actions were inappropriate, but recommended against his dismissal.

Erlenbach overruled the committee and asked the Board of Regents to make a final decision on the matter. The regents affirmed Erlenbach’s recommendation and dismissed Marder.