Dr. Mark Kelley, former dean of the College of Education, Health, and Behavioral Sciences at UTM, was placed on administrative leave Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Kelley has served as dean since July 1, 2013. Dr. Gail Stephens, the University’s Equity and Diversity Officer, will serve as the interim dean until a new dean is named at the conclusion of a national search to be initiated later this month.
Dr. Jerald Ogg, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, informed the faculty about the transition Wednesday afternoon.
“I understand that the timing of this decision to place Dr. Kelley on administrative leave was a bit unusual, but we were impacted by the Faculty Handbook’s provision that first-year, tenure-track faculty must be notified by March 1 if they are not going to have the opportunity to return the following year,” Ogg said.
“We also wanted to move quickly enough to complete the search for the new dean before the summer, and we didn’t feel it would be fair to Dr. Kelley to have him trying to represent his college under those circumstances.”
Kelley was informed he was being put on administrative leave Tuesday, and then a Public Safety officer accompanied him to his office simply as a matter of standard protocol.
“I’m not going to discuss specifics of any personnel action, but I can certainly state that I know of no allegations of criminal activity or inappropriate behavior with students. I would have been amazed had he not had disagreements with faculty; as the old saying goes, the only administrator with whom all faculty agree is a retired administrator,” Ogg said.
Ogg said that the Faculty Handbook protocol was being followed for the removal of Kelley from the dean position.
“Any administrator, including myself, may be replaced at any time; the Faculty Handbook does not contain tenure-like protections for persons serving in academic administrative positions,” Ogg said.
“To the extent the Faculty Handbook guidelines apply to Dr. Kelley’s status as a tenure-track professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance, the Faculty Handbook is being followed.”
According to sections 1.5.2.2.3 and 1.5.2.2.4 of the UTM faculty handbook, there is set protocol for evaluating deans:
“1.5.2.2.3 Evaluation
An annual evaluation of the dean is made by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. In preparation for this evaluation, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs asks the chair, appropriate members of the staff, and members of the faculties for their judgment.
1.5.2.2.4 Tenure
The dean, as all administrative officers, does not have tenure in the administrative office. Tenure, if held by the dean, resides only in his/her status as a faculty member in the position in which he/she has been granted tenure.”
Ogg appointed Stephens as the interim dean.
“I appreciate Dr. Kelley’s service as well as Dr. Stephens’ willingness to step up during this time of transition,” Ogg said.
According to the email sent out to the faculty, Dr. Stephens earned her Ed.D. in educational administration and supervision, with an emphasis in higher education, from the University of Memphis. She previously served as vice president for student services at Henderson State University (Arkansas) as well as vice president for student affairs at Mississippi University for Women before coming to UTM in 2012.
