The University denied a claim that it is violating the Liberal Arts dean’s right to due process in an Oct. 18 letter.
The American Association of University Professors claimed in an Oct. 13 statement that Ann Huff Stevens, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, was being denied “due process” because the University decided to not consider her for a second term without input from COLA faculty and students. Amanda Cochran-McCall, vice president of UT Legal Affairs, denied the claims in a letter to the Association’s executive committee.
In an Oct. 2 email to college leaders obtained by the Austin American-Statesman, Stevens said Hartzell informed her she would not be considered for a second term after her current term ends in August 2025. Stevens said Hartzell told her she “did not have a grand enough vision” for the college.
Stevens also said in the email she prepared documents for a review, but they are “not relevant for that purpose any longer.”
According to a UT System Board of Regents policy, administrative officers — including college deans — serve without fixed terms, meaning the University president can dismiss them at any point during their six-year tenure pending the approval of the appropriate executive vice chancellor of the UT System.
The AAUP’s letter said an “evaluation committee” composed of COLA faculty and students should be formed to audit Stevens’ term, per the University Handbook of Operating Procedures 2-2130. Cochran-McCall said that policy only applies to deans being considered for a second term. However, the University is not considering Stevens for a second term.
Instead, Cochran-McCall said Stevens will go through a “comprehensive periodic evaluation” under University policy 2-2150. This evaluation process is not meant to determine whether a dean should continue in their position, Cochran-McCall said.
“It seems the Executive Committee Members rely on their disagreement with the underlying merits of the President’s decision to reach the conclusion that there must therefore be a due process issue,” Cochran-McCall said in the letter. “But mere disagreement with a decision not to renew a dean does not make the decision constitutionally infirm.”
Hartzell’s decision to seek a different liberal arts dean is the latest in a string of University leadership changes. Both the UT Police Department Chief Eve Stephens and Provost Sharon Wood resigned in late August and September. In June, the University laid off 19-20 communications staff as part of a department restructuring.
