San Jos State professor fired over Gaza protest controversy must be reinstated, arbitrator rules

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Set us as preferred An arbitrator ruled this week that a San José State University professor who was terminated following disputes over her role in campus protests related to the Gaza war two years ago must be reinstated as a tenured professor, according to the Cal State faculty union.The California Faculty Assn., the union representing some 29,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches, said in a written statement that the arbitrator found the termination of Sang Hea Kil, professor of justice studies, was excessive and should be reduced to a one-month unpaid suspension.Kil came under fire in two years ago amid widespread protests over the war in Gaza following the attacks against Israel on October 2023 by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that the U.S.has designated as a terrorist group.A San José State University spokesperson said it was unable to comment on an ongoing personnel matter.This week’s ruling, however, supports a November 2025 decision by the Faculty Hearing Committee, an independent board that investigates and adjudicates disputes involving faculty members.

The committee found that Kil’s actions were not egregious enough to warrant her dismissal by the university, according to the faculty union.San José State University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson disagreed with the committee’s decision, prompting the issue to go to arbitration, where the union sought to challenge the interference with academic freedom, free speech and the lack of “just cause.” It was unclear why Teniente-Matson disagreed with the committee’s decision.”We have never seen such an overreach in punishing faculty,” the union said in its statement.

“That’s why we agreed without hesitation to represent Dr.Kil in the faculty committee and the arbitration.”Two years ago, university officials launch...