University of Mississippi: Professor鈥檚 contract non-renewed following public criticism of school鈥檚 record on racial equity
Cases
University of Mississippi
Case Overview
In October 2020, professor Garrett Ferber publicly criticized his department chair for rejecting a grant to a community education program focused on racial justice and incarceration, tweeting that the University of Mississippi was motivated by a desire to protect 鈥渞acist donor money.鈥 Following the tweets, Felber鈥檚 department chair requested to have a phone conversation, then video conferences, with Felber to discuss the tweets. Felber 鈥 on leave for a year-long fellowship at Harvard 鈥 replied that he preferred to communicate in writing. In December, the department chair recommended that Felber鈥檚 contract be nonrenewed. FIREwrote to the University on December 18, 2020, asking it to account for the university鈥檚 response and reconsider the nonrenewal. Felber subsequently retained an attorney and reached a settlement with the university.