“ The events at the mathematics peak violated his academician exemption, ” Nolan said. “ insubordination, according to [ Nevada System of Higher department of education ] ( NSHE ) code and Nevada express law, is defined as ‘ the bankruptcy to follow a true, mastermind, written order. ’ That never happened … and even if insubordination happened, result is very rarely … warranted for a first-time umbrage. ” Jensen, in a instruction during the hear, said he ’ s in his 26th year at TMCC. “ I make it a compass point to know the rules and the policies of my workplace, [ and ] I follow them, whether I agree with them or not, ” he said. “ The evidence … does not even rise to the level of jaywalking. ”
Jensen alleged to have not taken trainings
NSHE lawyer John Albrecht said the case against Jensen surrounds his allege refusal to take on-line trainings, punitive grade practices, failing to respond in a timely manner to his deans and an alleged “ disruption of an official [ NSHE ] consequence, ” the mathematics peak where Jensen passed out copies of his statement on the TMCC mathematics course of study .
A TMCC dean, Anne Flesher, said Jensen did not follow through “ on a number of items. ” An unsatisfactory rank — one of two unsatisfactory evaluations given to Jensen — “ was due to insubordination, ” Flesher said. “ No other staff has received an unsatisfactory [ rating ]. Would I do it again ? Yes. ”
In letter, Flesher said “ Dr. Jensen has demonstrated a consistent model of defiance and disrespect by his refusal to apply the repeat directives and not responding to the dean ’ sulfur requests in a timely manner. ” Fellow TMCC faculty members said that many if not most faculty could be accused of like charges Jensen faces. Professor Scott Huber disputed Flesher ’ randomness word picture in his evaluation. “ I ’ molarity not aware of anywhere where Dr. Jensen interacted with the dean in a contradictory way, ” he testified. “ [ There was ] no hint of anything remotely like insubordination. Where is the insubordination arising from ? ” Julia Hammett, TMCC anthropology professor, testified that most staff at TMCC have not taken educate on Canvas, the on-line teaching platform used by the college. “ There was never an electronic mail that I saw that said everyone was required to take it, ” she testified. Hammett said she besides had not completed the prepare. “ Most of those standards are guidelines, ” she added. “ I did ask person … how many staff had taken the official Canvas 123 [ train ], and I was told a issue that is significantly less than half the full time staff. Most broad time staff have not taken [ it ] or are not yet on a tilt [ as ] having taken Canvas 123. “ I ’ meter plan on taking it in January, therefore I don ’ t have a supervisor play gotcha over it. ” NSHE lawyer Albrecht wanted to know from whom she got that information. He made Hammett identify an IT employee at TMCC.
“ This is proper cross examination, ” Albrecht said. “ She said a person told her. I ’ m asking for the identify of that person. We might be able to call the person for rebuttal [ and they could ] say, ‘ No, I never said that. ’ ” Hammett said her data was not an official list and that it may not have been up to date. Albrecht interrupted her testimony. “ Do you have notes up there ? ” he asked. “ Can I see them ? ” Albrecht then stood over Hammett to inspect her notes. The hear policeman said Hammett had the right to use notes to refresh her memory. 
Nevada System of Higher Education lawyer John Albrecht, proper, demanded to inspect Truckee Meadows Community College Professor Julia Hammett ’ second notes during staff ending hearing. TMCC wants Professor Lars Jensen fired for insubordination. persona : Bob Conrad / This Is Reno, Oct. 1, 2021 .
“His academic freedom is being trampled”
none of the charges against Jensen rise to the level of ignition, said Kent Ervin with the Nevada Faculty Alliance. “ From the hearing therefore far, TMCC is offering lone highly flimsy pretext to terminate a tenure professor and even those don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate stand up to scrutiny, ” he told This Is Reno. “ If TMCC ’ s motif is anything other than silencing a critical spokesperson on curricular issues well within Professor Jensen ’ randomness area of expertness in mathematics — it is not apparent. His academician exemption is being trampled. ” The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education besides said Jensen ’ s release speech rights are being infringed upon. “ Jensen ’ mho distribution of flyers at [ the mathematics summit ] was protected by his First Amendment right to comment as a citizen on matters of populace business, and TMCC can not use it as grounds for termination, ” wrote Joshua Bleisch with FIRE. “ The actor’s line that generated that unsatisfactory revue is clearly protected. accordingly, Jensen ’ randomness termination, based on receiving back-to-back unsatisfactory annual reviews, would violate his First Amendment rights. ” Though the hearing was billed as an exposed process, Albrecht tried to prevent This Is Reno from recording the hearing. Jensen specifically said he wanted the newsworthiness media present. The hear policeman will make a recommendation as to facts of Jensen ’ s case, and then a committee will forward its recommendations to the TMCC president of the united states. Three witnesses for Jensen, of up to 18, testified Friday before the earshot was adjourned. A listen to schedule the remaining witnesses was scheduled Friday .
Publisher & Editor
Bob Conrad is publisher, editor program and co-founder of This Is Reno. He has served in communications positions for versatile submit agencies and earned a doctor’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2011. In summation to managing This Is Reno, he holds a half-time appointee for the Mineral County University of Nevada Extension office .
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