[Duquesne University] President Charles Dougherty abruptly removed Donald Guter as Dean of the School of Law on Wednesday, while offering no explanation and leaving professors and students stunned.
A news release dated Dec. 10 was posted on the University’s Web site stating that the University named Duquesne Professor Ken Gormley interim dean of the School of Law. At the end of the news release it stated, “Gormley replaces Don Guter, who will remain on faculty” as a professor.
Guter, who was appointed dean of the law school in August of 2005 and is tenured, said he was not given a reason for Dougherty’s ultimatum.
“It was pretty sterile,” Guter said. “It was ‘I have the authority to remove you, here’s a paragraph saying so. It’s not signed, [and] if you don’t resign in 24 hours, it will be.'”
… Director of Public Affairs Bridget Fare cited “unmet performance expectations,” adding that specific reasons are not generally shared by the president.
Guter said he was surprised at the decision, particularly since the removal came right before finals and in the middle of the academic year.
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The School of Law was founded in 1911, and is the only multiple-division law school in western Pennsylvania.