Procedures for Suspension or Dismissal for Cause

When considering suspension or dismissal for cause, the VPAA will consult with the appropriate Department or Division Chair, Dean, or Library Director unless the faculty member under consideration holds one of those positions. The VPAA will then seek the advice and recommendation of the Office of Human Resources and/or legal counsel, as appropriate.
Upon the decision by the VPAA to pursue either suspension or dismissal for cause, they will provide written notice to the faculty member that a recommendation for suspension or for dismissal for cause will be made to the President. This notice will contain a written statement of the grounds upon which the recommendation is to be made, a brief summary of information supporting such grounds.
The faculty member will be given an opportunity to meet with the VPAA and a representative from the Office of Human Resources to present their defense to the suspension or dismissal recommendation before the recommendation is made to the President. The faculty member may select another College employee, possibly a member of the Faculty Affairs Committee, to accompany them to this meeting. Based upon that defense, the VPAA will decide whether to submit the recommendation to the President.
Once a recommendation is made to the President, the faculty member will be given an opportunity to meet with the President, in the presence of an HR representative and the faculty member’s MSMC representative of choice, to present their defense to the suspension or dismissal recommendation. Based upon the information provided by both the VPAA and the faculty member, the President will make their decision.
In any case involving suspension or dismissal for cause, the burden of proof that just cause exists shall rest with the College, which proof shall be by clear and convincing evidence in the record considered as a whole.