Clarkson College of Omaha had an official black mark by its name from a leading professors organization for 27 years, but that mark came off late last week.
The American Association of University Professors declared that Clarkson, a health science college at 42nd and Dodge Streets, had taken the right steps to get off the group’s censure list, or blacklist.
“We’re very excited about having this removed,” Aubray Orduña, interim president of the college, said Monday. “Having that censure was not in alignment with our mission ... values and the legacy that the college has here.”
The AAUP strives to protect safeguards for academic freedom, due process, tenure and shared governance for faculty members and institutions, in part so that college leadership can’t change rules, fire professors and make decisions without faculty input.
The AAUP works to protect teaching and research that may be viewed by some as distasteful because, the group says, professors must be free to pursue facts, truth, science and opinion wherever it leads them. That is “fundamental to the advancement of truth,” the organization said.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has been on the AAUP’s censure list since 2018 because the national organization determined that a graduate student-lecturer hadn’t received a fair hearing before being removed from her position. Some at UNL had hoped to get off the list this summer, but the university hasn’t moved quickly enough to change bylaws for that to happen.
Clarkson hired a new president, Fay Bower, in 1991, and she dismissed at least four faculty members the next year. The AAUP investigated and concluded the professors weren’t given due process (a hearing before their peers) and hadn’t received credible information about why they had been let go.
The AAUP said it interviewed some at Clarkson who called the four “among the best qualified and most experienced professors” at the school. The AAUP indicated that the four had been outspoken in opinions that differed from those of the new president.
The AAUP wrote at the time that the situation “demonstrates the importance of institutional policies which explicitly ensure academic freedom, tenure, and due process. Without such assurances, faculty rights are dependent on the shifting sands of changing administrations.”
The Clarkson faculty senate and administration went to work in 2017 to have the censure removed. Ultimately, they wrote into the Clarkson handbook that reappointment of a longtime faculty member is assumed. And if that doesn’t happen, the faculty member can appeal to a faculty senate committee. Clarkson still doesn’t grant tenure.
The AAUP said its recent investigation found the college had adopted “sound conditions” for academic freedom and shared governance.
Jane Langemeier, a professor at Clarkson, said having the censure removed will assist the college in recruiting professors and administrators. “I firmly believe it will help us,” she said.
The AAUP has close to 60 colleges and universities on the list.
World-Herald librarian Sheritha Jones contributed to this report.
Photos: Our best staff images from June 2020
Look back at our best staff photos from June 2020
Scurlock Vigil
More than a hundred people gather for a vigil to remember James Scurlock. Tuesday marked one month since the shooting and killing of Scurlock, a 22-year-old black man, by Jake Gardner, a white bar owner, during a protest downtown.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Scurlock Vigil
More than a hundred people gather for a vigil to remember James Scurlock. Tuesday marked one month since the shooting and killing of Scurlock, a 22-year-old black man, by Jake Gardner, a white bar owner, during a protest downtown.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Cleanup
Lasha Goodwin, with the Global Leadership Group, picks up trash on North 24th Street in Omaha on Saturday, June 27, 2020. The North 24th Street Business Improvement District hosted the cleanup event with dozens of people picking up trash from Cuming to Meredith Streets.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Flowers
A vigil left for James Scurlock near 13th and Harney St. in Omaha.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Catching Air
J.J. Greve does a flip as Ilan Perez takes a breather.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protest
Protesters gather outside Cupcake Omaha in Omaha on Wednesday. They are calling on U.S. Senate candidate Chris Janicek, who owns the bakery, to step down from the race after a series of sexually inappropriate text messages he sent to members of his staff.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Baseball is back
Trey Kobza can't quite catch up to this double in left during the Nebraska Prospects baseball camp at Werner Park on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Juneteenth
2020 PHOTO: Daric Heard of Bellevue, one of the organizers of the Juneteenth festival in Omaha.
ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD
Juneteenth
Philip Brown performs as JbreedTheRebel with Entertainment during the Juneteenth Festival in Omaha.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Juneteenth
2020 PHOTO: A group prays during a Juneteenth prayer gathering in Omaha.
Z LONG, THE WORLD-HERALD
Ball Hawk
A red tailed hawk has taken residence as TD Ameritrade sits empty because of the coronavirus pandemic.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Hello Teddy
An oversized teddy bear sits at the front window of a house in Omaha last week.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
CWS Silent
A parking lot normally full of fans and vendors for the College World Series this time of years is empty as Omaha feels the economic impact from the cancellation of the tournament.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Lake Walk
People walk along a trail around Wehrspann Lake at Chalco Hills Recreation Area in Omaha on Tuesday.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Sun
The sun shines over Hanscom Park in Omaha on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. The first half of June in Omaha was the second-hottest on record.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Remember
From top, Wendy Pfeifer, Julie Odermatt, Tonja Minardi and Amy Barth show their matching tattoos at Artists Unbound in Omaha. The mothers each lost a daughter, Addisyn, Kloe, Alex and Abby, in the June 17, 2019, car crash. The wreck also severely injured a fifth girl, Roan Brandon. Each mother got a matching tattoo with four hearts to represent the four girls.
ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD
New Paint
Margaret Miller paints her family’s home in Auburn, Neb., on Monday, June 15, 2020.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
You will not beat Nebraska
Johnson’s Gas-N-Go outside Union, Nebraska, in Cass County, has a message for COVID-19 that all Nebraskans can get behind.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
LGBTQA
A pride flag flies beneath a Union Pacific flag in front of the company’s headquarters in downtown Omaha on Monday.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Black Lives Matter
Nikita Jackson blows bubbles during a Black Lives Matter Cookout at Benson Park on Saturday, June 13, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Miss you CWS
The Clanton family, from left: Todd, Lena, Ella, Mattie and LeAnn, get their photo taken by the kids's grandmother Marvetta Tate in front of Road to Omaha sculpture on Saturday, June 13, 2020. Saturday would have been the opening day of the College World Series. The Clantons are from Brandenburg, Kentucky and were on a road-trip and stopped by the sculpture.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Rally
Marchers walk east down Dodge Street towards Memorial park during a rally to remember James Scurlock on Sunday, June 07, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protest
Omaha police push a woman out of the street as she was protesting at 72nd and Dodge Streets on Friday, May 29, 2020. People were protesting the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Hug
James Scurlock II hugs Nicole Myles at the Malcom X Memorial Foundation after talking to the media about the death of James's son James Scurlock, on Sunday, May 31, 2020. He was killed during a protest the night before by Jake Gardner.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Rally
Larry Duncan asks people to put their hands and theirs hearts up during a rally at the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Fire
A cat peers out of a burned house at 2853 Vane St., on Monday, June 01, 2020. One person died in the fire on Sunday. Damage was seen to two houses and a detached garage.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Police
Law enforcement line up on the third night of protests in Omaha on Sunday, May 31, 2020. A protester was shot and killed Saturday night by a civilian. An 8 p.m. curfew went into effect Sunday, and the Nebraska National Guard was called in to assist with protests.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protest
Tear gas is fired at protesters who used road closed signs as barricades looking south on 13th Street near Jones Street on the third day or protests on Sunday, May 31, 2020. They were protesting the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protest
Protestors and law enforcement face-off on 13th Street in downtown Omaha on Sunday as the 8PM curfew nears.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protester
A protester walks ahead of advancing law enforcement after the 8 p.m. curfew in downtown Omaha on Sunday.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protest
A portrait of James Scurlock is held during a protest on Sunday in downtown Omaha. Scurlock was shot and killed late Saturday night during a protest in Omaha.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Police
A man is arrested on 13th Street in Omaha after the 8 p.m. curfew on Sunday.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Tear Gas
Tear gas canisters land near protestors on 13th Street in Omaha on Sunday after the 8 p.m. curfew.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Police
Law enforcement officers turn vehicles away from downtown Omaha on Sunday after the 8 p.m. curfew.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protests
People protest for the fourth day in a row in Omaha on Monday, June 01, 2020. It was announced Monday that the bar owner who shot and killed James Scurlock amid a protest on Saturday will face no charges.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
March
A crowd demonstrate at 13th and Howard Streets during a fourth day of protests in Omaha on Monday, June 01, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protests
People watch the police response from the roof the of the Paxton building during a fourth day of protests in Omaha on Monday, June 01, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Flower
A flower on a sidewalk as National Guard troops and Omaha police stand at the corner of 13th and Howard in downtown Omaha on Monday.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protests
A group chants for James Scurlock during a demonstration on Tuesday at City Hall in downtown Omaha.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Flowers
Flowers rest on a traffic barrel blocking off 14th Street on Tuesday in Omaha.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protester
Iggy holds a sign on Tuesday in downtown Omaha with the final words of several black men and women who were killed by police.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Protests
Sydnee Harris, of Omaha, and dozens of others protest outside the Omaha Douglas Civic Center in Omaha on Wednesday, June 03, 2020.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Sen. Ernie Chambers
Sen. Ernie Chambers speaks to dozens of people protesting outside the Omaha Douglas Civic Center in Omaha on Wednesday, June 03, 2020.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
March
Tyreece Johnson, of Omaha, and dozens of other people march from the Omaha Douglas Civic Center to the Old Market in Omaha on Wednesday, June 03, 2020. James Scurlock, a 22-year-old black man, was shot and killed in the Old Market on Saturday night by a white bar owner.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Mural
Nicole Baker helps her two-year-old son Atlas Ebel paint in the letters on a mural of James Scurlock on the side of Culprit Cafe & Bakery at 1603 Farnam St. on Thursday, June 04, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
March
Hundreds of people attend a vigil and march to remember Zachary BearHeels ending at 60th and Center in Omaha on Friday, June 05, 2020. BearHeels died three years ago after being tased by Omaha Police officers.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Rally
People cheer at Memorial park during a rally to remember James Scurlock on Sunday, June 07, 2020.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
March
Marchers walk east down Dodge Street towards Memorial park during a rally to remember James Scurlock on Sunday, June 07, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Rally
A crowd moves along Dodge Street on a march to Memorial Park for a solidarity rally on Sunday in Omaha.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
March
A woman holds a "History has its eyes on you" sign while marching up the hill at Memorial Park for a solidarity rally on Sunday in Omaha.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Rally
Terrell McKinney, Leo Louis II and J Shannon hold their fists in the air with the crowd during a solidarity rally on Sunday at Memorial Park in Omaha.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Rally
James Scurlock II salutes the crowd during a solidarity rally on Sunday at Memorial Park in Omaha.
Z LONG/THE WORLD-HERALD
Zoo
People watch the elephants at the Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium in Omaha on Sunday, June 07, 2020.This was the first weekend the zoo reopened to guests after closing amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
Black Lives Matter
Paige Reitz sets Black Lives Matter posters on the floor of the Wanda D. Ewing Gallery for people to pick up at The Union For Contemporary Art on Wednesday, June 03, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Rainbow
A rainbow appears over a farm field east of Tecumseh, Nebraska after severe storms blew through the area on Tuesday, June 09, 2020.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Splash Pad
Bear Drinkall, 5, of Omaha, plays at the Westwood Heights Park splash pad in Omaha on Thursday, June 11, 2020.
ANNA REED/THE WORLD-HERALD
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