Truckee Meadows Community College: Math Professor Investigated for Passing Out Fliers Critical of College Academic Standards

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Truckee Meadows Community College

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FIRE Victory closed

In September 2020, Truckee Meadows Community College math professor Lars Jensen distributed handouts critical of TMCC’s academic standards to colleagues during a break at a professional development session. A TMCC dean asked Jensen not to pass out his fliers, but he continued to do so without interrupting the session. Due to the handouts and another dispute regarding his syllabus, Jensen received two consecutive unsatisfactory annual performance evaluations, creating possible grounds for termination. On October 1, 2021, FIRE wrote to TMCC in support of Jensen, explaining that Jensen’s distribution of fliers is protected by the First Amendment. TMCC’s president ultimately rebuffed a hearing officer’s recommendations that Jenson be terminated and instead accepted a panel recommendation that Jensen remain a professor at TMCC. 

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