KSU professor fired after road rage incident

Kent State fired an assistant professor Wednesday after his April 15 road-rage fueled encounter.

Linden Adkins, assistant professor for the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology, was immediately suspended for the incident, caught on cellphone video. 

Adkins was charged with menacing earlier this month after yelling at a driver of a silver minivan for allegedly cutting him off. In a letter sent to Adkins on Wednesday, Provost Todd Diacon cited Adkins’ behavior, which could harm the university, members of the university community or Adkins himself, as reasons for immediate suspension and subsequent termination. 

The letter also states that Adkins cannot teach, hold office hours, advise or interact with students in any way until his termination on May 16. Adkins is also banned from attending CAEST events and meetings.

Diacon said Adkins violated university policy regarding employment, which includes respecting the well-being and dignity of others and their property, maintaining a professional demeanor and practicing personal and professional integrity.

Adkins said he did not realize he received an email April 27 from Sue Averill, the assistant provost for faculty affairs, which requested he attend a meeting with CAEST dean Robert Sines to discuss the incident and his conduct, captured in a Kent State police report filed April 15.

According to the collective bargaining agreement for non-tenure track faculty between the university and the faculty union, Diacon can “take immediate action by way of suspension with full salary and employee benefits provided” if an employee is notified of the action, given the opportunity to respond and is considered “harmful” to the university or members of the university community.

University spokesman Eric Mansfield said the university could not comment on personnel matters. However, Adkins said he hopes his teaching assistant Hannah Kertes, sophomore applied engineering major, will proctor finals for all of his classes.

KSU professor charged after “road rage” incident on campus from KentWired.com on Vimeo.

Contact Madeleine Winer at [email protected]