Hello,
I have a question regarding implied contracts and promissory estoppel. Here is an overview of my situation:
In September 2002 I was hired as a tenure track assistant professor in the School of Art to teach in their art education program. I was slated to go up for tenure in 2007-2008.
In February 2006, the senior faculty in the School of Art voted to eliminate the art education program due to "budget cuts", and the School of Art Director, with the encouragement and help of the College of Fine Art Interim (and now current) Dean, began the proceedings to have the program eliminated. In an internal memo distributed to School of Art faculty at a faculty meeting shortly thereafter, the Director announced that the Art Education program would be phased out over the course of the next two years (through 2007-2008). In this memo, the Director also mentioned that I and another one of my art education colleagues would remain at Ohio University through 2007-2008 to teach the art education students who opted to finish their degree.
Shortly *after* these proceedings began, the School of Art Promotion and Tenure Committee (consisting entirely of senior faculty who voted to eliminate my program) asked me to submit my 3rd year dossier so they could evaluate my progress toward tenure. I then did not hear anything regarding my dossier until the first week in June, when I got a letter from the Director in which he stated the P&T committee approved my progress toward tenure "with reservations," despite the fact I had received high marks on all of my previous annual review letters, including the most recent review I received in January 2006. There was no mention in my 3rd year dossier letter from the Director what impact, if any, the elimination of the art education program would have on my going up for tenure.
A week after I received this letter from the Director, I received a letter from my Dean stating that I would be receiving a 12-month terminal contract that would expire on June 30, 2007. I was not prepared for this letter, because up to that point, I was told I would be permitted to remain with Ohio University through 2007-2008 and go up for tenure as well.
So my question is, do I have a claim? And if so, on what grounds?
