Professor was let go after complaining about race-based hiring in Illinois, lawsuit says
.png "The University of Illinois Chicago.")
A professor in Illinois is suing the university that employed him after he says he was let go for voicing concerns about race-based hiring.
Dr. Stephen Kleinschmit filed the federal lawsuit against the University of Illinois Chicago on Feb. 10, according to court records.
The University of Illinois Chicago declined McClatchy News’ request for comment due to pending litigation.
Kleinschmit was hired as a clinical assistant professor in 2017. In 2020, he was promoted to clinical associate professor, a promotion that usually takes six years to receive, but he achieved it in half the time, according to the civil complaint.
Throughout the years, he received “positive performance evaluations” and “positively contributed to his department and University,” the lawsuit said.
However, in August 2023, his employment was terminated after the university declined to renew his contract. Kleinschmit said although he was told the nonrenewal was due to budget cuts, he believed there was another reason.
Diversity policies
In the lawsuit, Kleinschmit pointed out several diversity policies at the university that focused on race-based hiring, which he believed to be unethical.
“Kleinschmit personally witnessed conversations about expressly using race as a determinant for hiring faculty members for UIC’s new ‘Bridge to Faculty’ (“B2F”) program,” the complaint said.
During a 2019 department meeting, discussions were had about a job opening and a search for a candidate. Kleinschmit said one faculty member objected to the potential hiring of a candidate and said, “We aren’t going to hire another white guy, are we?” the lawsuit said.
Kleinschmit believed the B2F program, and “other race-based hiring” policies, to be a form of racial discrimination and felt uncomfortable, the complaint said.
He said in the lawsuit that the university actively supports diversity groups and has made public posts online stating “we act and stand beside those who march for justice and social equity” and “that the college takes action ‘to vanquish racial injustice.’”
“The numerous Black Lives Matter and Palestinian solidarity statements posted by UIC departments and centers across the university demonstrated an extensive pattern of institutional activism and disregard of state and federal law,” the lawsuit said.
Kleinschmit initially kept his concerns to himself, out of fear of retaliation, but eventually decided to speak out “with the belief that not doing so would make him a participant in illegal activities for which he would be held liable,” the lawsuit said.
In fall 2022, when the provost and dean said they wanted to make the college “the most diverse it can be” and “center social justice as its mission and ‘provide safe and comfortable spaces,’” Kleinschmit objected saying, “the college was shutting the door to a broader set of perspectives” to make students “comfortable,” according to the complaint.
Kleinschmit expressed his concerns and dismay for the hiring practices and diversity policies several other times, the lawsuit said.
Permanently laid-off
Kleinschmit was told in early 2023 that his contract with the university would not be renewed due to budget costs.
Kleinschmit was one of two non-tenure-track faculty members whose contracts were not renewed, the lawsuit said. However, the other faculty member was an Asian woman who was offered a replacement position that focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. Kleinschmit was laid-off permanently.
“The purported budget deficit that resulted in Professor Kleinschmit(‘s) layoff was in fact nonexistent: the graduate program Professor Kleinschmit led enrolled a sizeable number of students, enough to support the plaintiff’s position financially at UIC,” the lawsuit said.
In February 2024, a job opening that “significantly overlapped with Professor Kleinschmit’s responsibilities” was posted. However, Kleinschmit was not called back to work and after he applied for the position, he was not offered the job, according to the complaint.
The posting said “[i]ndividuals who are members of a recognized underrepresented group are particularly encouraged to apply,” the lawsuit said.
“Professor Kleinschmit believes that his repeated advocacy against racial discrimination in hiring drove UIC to retaliate against him because he would not stop objecting to its illegal behavior, as thus no longer constituted a ‘fit’ with the college’s professed commitment to social justice and racial equity,” according to the court document.
The lawsuit is asking for an undetermined amount in damages.
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Professor was let go after complaining about race-based hiring in Illinois, lawsuit says."
