Situation
Assistant Professor Norman Jules has been denied tenure and is hurt and angry at his colleagues. He has one year left on his contract, but begins to look for a new position. He is offered one in June, signs the contract in July for a position that starts in September. Two weeks before the semester begins, he gives notice to his current departmental chair. That is, after all, all the institution requires.
Questions
- Does Professor Jules have any obligation to the institution that he believes treated him unjustly?
- Does he have any obligation to the students of that institution for whose education he is no longer responsible?
Discussion
Professor Jules may, in fact, have been treated unfairly. Nevertheless, Section 8.02 of the Code indicates that sociologists are obligated to reduce negative effects of a termination of employment, whatever the circumstances. As badly as he feels, he is required to consider his obligations to the discipline and the professorate which demands that he give as much notice as possible so as to ensure not only that his replacement has sufficient time to do an adequate job, but that the education of students does not suffer. While it may be the case that the department’s climate has fostered his decision to act in this way, his obligation is not to persist in reinforcing poor practices because of their adverse effects on other colleagues and students. Once the new contract was signed, his continued lack of notification compounds the unethical nature of this behavior. He may wish to investigate whether or not there are other forums within which he might air his grievance against his colleagues and the institution and seek a remedy.
