Just because you can ...

Doesn't mean that you should. The University of Missouri governing board, in apparent agreement with the state legislature, fired an assistant professor in the communications department on the flagship Columbia, MO, campus. Putting aside whether or not one agrees agrees with or is outraged by Melissa Click's behavior during student demonstrations on the campus, it is impossible not to be concerned by the abrogation of good governance practice in this instance. The board (not to mention the legislature) is essentially assuming the role of management for this purpose, and it will be very hard to walk this precedent back when future professorial conduct upsets members.