CEDAR NORDBYE v. UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS - Articles

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CEDAR NORDBYE v. UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS

Posted by: Tanja Trezise on Mar 20, 2026

Court: TN Court of Appeals

Attorneys 1: Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General and Reporter, J. Matthew Rice, Solicitor General, and Matthew Dowty, Senior Assistant Attorney General, for the appellant, the University of Memphis.

Attorneys 2: Maureen T. Holland and Yvette H. Kirk, Memphis, Tennessee, for the appellee, Cedar Nordbye.

Judge(s): MCGEE

The University of Memphis initiated termination proceedings against a tenured faculty member. An administrative hearing was held before a panel comprised of four other tenured faculty members. The panel issued a report in which the majority of its members found that the university had not proven adequate cause for the faculty member’s termination. The report and a record of the hearing were provided to the university’s president, who disagreed and signed a letter terminating the faculty member. The faculty member sought review of the termination in the Shelby County Chancery Court. The chancery court held that the university president did not have authority to issue a decision contradictory to that of the faculty panel. The chancery court also held that the facts contained in the record did not amount to clear and convincing evidence of adequate cause for termination and ordered the faculty member be reinstated with backpay. The university appeals. We reverse and remand for entry of an order consistent with this opinion.

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