Cedar Nordbye v. University of Memphis

Cedar Nordbye v. University of Memphis

What Happened

Cedar Nordbye, a tenured professor at the University of Memphis, was fired from her job. A faculty panel reviewed the termination and decided the university should not have fired her. However, the university appealed this decision to a higher court.

What the Court Decided

The Court of Appeals sided with the university. The court ruled that the University of Memphis had the legal authority to fire Nordbye despite the faculty panel's recommendation against termination. The case was sent back to a lower court to proceed based on this new ruling.

Why This Matters for Workers

This case shows that even when a company has an internal review process—like a faculty panel—courts may still allow employers to make final termination decisions. For tenured professors and other workers with protections, this ruling suggests that internal appeals processes may not guarantee job security. The decision emphasizes that employers sometimes retain authority over termination decisions, even when internal panels recommend otherwise.