APSU Administrators Scramble After Firing Tenured Professor for Kirk Comments

Darren Michael had taught theater and dance at Austin Peay State University since 2007, rising from assistant professor to tenured professor. On Friday, Sept. 12, he was terminated via email over a social media post. Days later, administrators walked back his termination, instead suspending Michael after a testy faculty senate meeting, as first reported by Clarksville Now. 

Outraged faculty have focused on the administration’s apparent disregard for clearly stated employment policy, including tenure protections. The university could also face a lawsuit from Michael, who has retained Nashville attorney David L. King.

In the hours following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Michael shared a 2023 article in which Kirk justified firearm deaths as the cost of the Second Amendment freedoms. The post drew notice from U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn — also a current gubernatorial hopeful — who fired off an ominous social media post reading, “What do you say, Austin Peay State University?” As a public university, APSU relies on state funding; members of its governing board, the APSU Board of Trustees, are appointed by Tennessee’s governor. Faculty immediately raised concerns that Michael’s sudden email firing late on a Friday evening — hours after an otherwise mild disciplinary discussion with APSU Provost Mitch Cordova — violated APSU policy, which requires “adequate cause” for termination and the “assurance of continued employment during the academic year.”

APSU President Mike Licari faced contentious questions from his colleagues at a crowded faculty senate meeting on Sept. 18. Michael’s attorney King also attended, according to multiple sources. A motion to formally express no confidence in Licari’s leadership failed to meet a required two-thirds majority by a single vote at a second, special-called faculty senate meeting on Sept. 25.

After firing — then suspending — Michael over his social media post, the university is building its case to terminate Michael once again.

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“Professor Darren Michael has been placed on suspension,” APSU spokesperson Ginna Holleman tells the Scene. “Austin Peay is initiating proceedings to terminate his tenure for adequate cause.”

The faculty handbook lists seven reasons that might constitute adequate cause for firing. Five are relatively explicit: incompetence or dishonesty in teaching and research; a felony conviction; drug or alcohol abuse on the job; willful failure to perform one’s professional duties; and falsifying qualifications or employment information. Two others — “capricious disregard of accepted standards of professional conduct” and “failure to maintain the level of professional excellence” — could open the door for administrators to apply personal discretion.

A lawsuit from Michael could shed more light on Blackburn’s role in the firing. The senator could be drawn into the suit personally if accused of contract interference. Additional communication could come out as well, if Blackburn made any relevant statements to APSU administrators or trustees, among whom are conservative politicians state Rep. Curtis Johnson and former U.S. Rep. Phil Roe. 

Faculty at Middle Tennessee State University, Cumberland University and the University of Tennessee also faced termination or administrative discipline for comments related to Kirk’s death.