University of Idaho tenured professor Denise Bennett has been fired, eight months after being placed on administrative leave.
In a letter dated Sept. 10, UI President C. Scott Green fired Denise Bennett last week, citing the Dismissal Hearings Committee’s recommendation that “adequate cause for termination” of her employment exists.
“The charges against you, as outlined in the letter from Provost Wiencek to you dated June 13, 2019, include unprofessional conduct, actions in violation of directives, unsatisfactory or inadequate performance of duties, admission of criminal conduct, and actions in violations of policies,” wrote Green.
Bennett’s last official day is Sept. 21, according to UI spokeswoman Jodi Walker.
Bennett said in an email to The Argonaut that she intends to appeal Green’s decision.
Bennett, who has worked as a tenured professor in the department of Journalism and Mass Media since 2006, was placed on paid leave Jan. 24 after two incidents with UI employees that administrators characterized as unprofessional conduct.
The day before being placed on leave, Bennett had a verbal confrontation with a UI employee. Two days prior to her leave, Bennett sent an email with expletives to university administrators and others.
On Jan. 30, an emergency text and email alert, called a Vandal Alert, was sent out to students, faculty and staff, which read, “Denise Bennett has been barred from Moscow Campus. Recent admittance to police of meth use and access to firearms. If seen on campus, call 911.”
In her email response to Green, Bennett said the alerts “demonstrate zero good faith effort on the part of UI administration.”
“The calculated alerts were also obviously timed to shut down a student protest of UI administration on my behalf,” she added.
Bennett formally requested an appeal of Green’s decision to the Faculty Appeals Hearing Board, citing “extraordinary circumstances” surrounding her dismissal.
Ellen Dennis can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @edennis37