COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — Professors Suzanne Jones and Audra Heaslip of Collin College did not know what to expect when their deans met with them privately in late January. Both were contracted educators fully expecting to be renewed at the college.
Heaslip taught humanities and literature and Jones taught education. But, also at the meeting was a representative with the human resources department.
"They just said, 'we're not renewing you,'" said Jones.
Both admittedly were shocked by the news. Heaslip and Jones are on the faculty council where they have a voice on matters relating to education and policies. Both educators tell WFAA that in that January meeting they were told exactly why they were not being renewed.
"I was the lead voice on challenging the reopening plan," said Heaslip.
Heaslip had drafted a resolution in the middle of last year challenging the re-opening with information that she says, "was based on science." Jones says the drafted letter was signed and backed by 130 educators which they say accounts for nearly a third of the teaching staff.
"It also called for as many classes could go on-line, to go online," said Heaslip.
Jones says the drafted letter never made it to the top. The two educators tell WFAA that they felt like their voices and the voices of many educators at the college were not being heard. The professors say they were forced to fight for their livelihoods.
"It became clear to me and a lot of other people that our college president and leadership around him did not take the virus seriously," said Heaslip.
They enlisted the help of the TFA, the Texas Faculty Association. The TFA is a nonprofit formed to protect the rights of higher education faculty and staff.
"I had told some of my colleagues on faculty council about it and they joined and then we said let's start a local chapter," said Jones.
They tell us more than 25 people have joined TFA locally and they feel it's that active membership that led to that January meeting and their subsequent non-renewal.
WFAA did reach out to Collin College for comment on the allegations presented. The statement reads as follows: "As it relates to the faculty members in question, Collin College has policies and procedures to address employees’ concerns and rights, including a well-established process for conducting administrative appeals for issues such as the non-renewal of a faculty contract. The college has and will continue to follow those policies and processes. Therefore, out of respect for our employees’ privacy, the college will not provide further comment on this matter."
As it relates to the college's re-opening plan in a pandemic, a representative tells WFAA that a mask mandate on campus has been in place since June 29, 2020, and will continue through the spring semester.
"The Collin College Board of Trustees approved a significant investment in our campuses by allocating $2.12 million to install various air cleaning technologies at our campuses. This work has been completed at many of our facilities. The final equipment installations are expected this spring. We will make decisions later this spring for the summer and fall semesters based on what we know at that time," the college added.
The professors still feel the college was not doing enough to fully protect its teaching staff.
"They felt threatened by the Texas Faculty Association and they feel threatened by a group of faculty coming together to advocate for something they can't then control," said Heaslip.
The professors are fighting for reinstatement and are exploring legal options and grievances hearings for both educators were held this week. They tell WFAA the college has 10 days from that hearing to render a response.