Fired ESU professors seek $75k each, trial date in Topeka

12 July 2023

EMPORIA (KSNT) – A group of former Emporia State University (ESU) professors who were laid off last year have filed a complaint against the university and Kansas Board of Regents.

The complaint, filed by Henson, Hutton, Mudrick Gragson & Vogelsberg LLP, seeks $75,000 in payment to each of the 11 fired ESU professors along with their reinstatement at the university. Defendants named in the complaint include ESU President Ken Hush and members of the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR).

KSNT 27 News reached out to ESU for comment regarding the complaint filed on Wednesday, July 12. ESU’s Director of Media Relations Gwen Larson gave the following statement:

“Emporia State University does not comment on pending litigation,” Larson said.


Kansas judge denies motion to dissolve court order on transgender driver’s licenses

Shortly after Ken Hush was named the new president of ESU in June, 2022 he outlined a course of action to the Kansas Board of Regents to make staff cuts due to financial pressures on the university. It was later learned that up to 7% of ESU staff could be eliminated following approval of this plan.

The staff layoff plan was put into action in September, 2022. This drew criticisms from groups like the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and resulted in student protests with Hush needing a police escort to his office on campus.

To read through the entirety of the complaint filed Wednesday, see the document below:

Complaint by Matthew Self on Scribd

Need help?

If you need support, please send an email to [email protected].

Thank you.