Moonbat on the dole

Because he is still employed by the University of Colorado and collecting a publicly-subsidized paycheck (hat tip: Rick):

The University of Colorado’s efforts to fire Ward Churchill are on hold because of a dispute over whether the university has to come up with $20,000 in state funds for the professor’s defense.

Churchill’s attorney, David Lane, said a lawsuit to get the money could be filed by next week. Meantime, there’s been no progress on Churchill’s appeal since August, and it could be well into 2007 before a final decision on his fate is made.

CU spokeswoman Michele McKinney said the delay is outside of the administration’s control. Churchill’s appeal is being heard by a faculty committee that operates independently from the administration. “The president did forward Professor Churchill’s request for a review in early July,” McKinney said. “We’ve been ready to move forward since that time.”

Weldon Lodwick, CU professor of math and chairman of the faculty’s Privilege and Tenure Committee, said he named a five-member panel on Aug. 10 to hear Churchill’s appeal.

The process is supposed to take about 90 days. But Lodwick agreed to put the proceedings on hold until Nov. 6 so Churchill and Lane could resolve their disagreement with the university over the defense funds.

Lane says CU must provide up to $20,000 for Churchill’s defense because a Faculty Senate policy published on a CU Web site stated that the money would be available to any professor going through a dismissal for cause hearing. CU officials have said the faculty asked the Board of Regents in December 2002 to sign off on that policy, but that the regents never did…

…Churchill, who is not teaching this semester, will continue to receive a paycheck throughout the proceedings, CU spokesman Barrie Hartman said.