BOULDER — The four-day hearing for University of Colorado philosophy professor David Barnett is over, and a panel of his peers is deliberating over whether he should his lose his job.
The six faculty members now have 10 business days to issue an “initial written report containing findings of fact, conclusions and recommendations,” according to the university’s policy governing faculty dismissal cases.
The panel, made up of members of a system-wide committee that hears faculty grievances, could recommend sanctions other than termination.
Barnett’s future ultimately will be decided by CU president Bruce Benson and the Board of Regents. The panel’s recommendations are not binding.
In the case of Ward Churchill, an ethnic studies professor eventually fired for academic misconduct in 2007, three panel members recommended suspension and two members said he should be fired. Then-president Hank Brown recommended dismissal anyway, and most of the regents agreed, voting 8-1 to fire Churchill.
Barnett is accused of retaliating against a female graduate student who reported being sexually assaulted by a fellow student.
He denies those accusations and is seeking $2 million for defamation.
Barnett and his attorney declined to comment for this story.
The university paid the female graduate student an $825,000 settlement and began the lengthy process of firing Barnett this summer.
