California State University Fullerton lecturer Eric Canin, suspended for two months by the university for attacking a member of the College Republicans back in February, will be reinstated.
That’s the decision of arbitrator Jan Stiglitz. Cal State Fullerton Chief Communications Officer Jeffrey Cook noted that Canin will still have to complete his suspension.
“The sanction imposed by the arbitrator is final and binding, and concludes a process required by the collective bargaining agreement with the California Faculty Association,” Cook wrote.
As reported by The College Fix, Canin allegedly had objected to members of the CRs “making fun of him” at a protest/counter-protest, and then allegedly struck one of the participating students.
Canin consistently has maintained he did nothing wrong, but an internal campus investigation found otherwise.
Stiglitz concluded, however, that Canin “… did not engage in anything resembling a fight and did not have any conscious intent to cause any harm to the students in question.”
The California Faculty Association had filed a petition on Canin’s behalf insisting he be reinstated. It continues to insist Canin was wrongly disciplined:
[CFA President Jennifer] Eagan added, “A political group has no right to censor or target faculty or students who challenge their views, and faculty should not fear losing their careers to unabashed hatred and unfounded assertions. In today’s heated political climate, we need leadership from college and university presidents on protecting its community from such attacks.” …
Dr. Canin is one of several college faculty throughout the country who have found themselves unfairly vilified by right-wing groups like the College Republicans, a national, ultra-conservative youth organization that appears to be growing bolder following the election of Donald Trump.
CFA is urging higher education community leaders to stand up and defend academic freedom on their campuses so that no faculty member has to endure what Dr. Canin has been through.
Campus Reform reports that CR President Emeritus Chris Boyle said the arbitrator’s decision is “disappointing.”
“It’s disappointing to hear that the CSU system has chosen to disregard its students and stand by a violent professor who has chosen to attack free speech,” he said. “The CSUF College Republicans will keep fighting against this unjust decision.”
CSUF College Republicans President Amanda McGuire added “Allowing a professor like Canin to teach again in a university shows that the school is not putting students and their safety first.”
“Violence should never be a way to respond,” she said.
Read the full CFA statement and Campus Reform report.
MORE: Cal State Fullerton lecturer suspended for assaulting member of campus College Republicans
MORE: Cal State Fullerton lecturer accuses College Republicans of lying about altercation
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