A University of Colorado Boulder professor had his tenure revoked on Thursday, after the university found he neglected his duties and engaged in conduct that falls below minimum standards of professional integrity.

The CU Board of Regents, the board that oversees the CU System and its campuses, determined on Thursday that there was “clear and convincing evidence” that CU Boulder computer science professor Henry Tufo neglected his duties and engaged in poor conduct. The board posted a resolution regarding its decision that “the good of the university” requires his dismissal.

“The Board of Regents revokes Professor Tufo’s tenured appointment and directs the University of Colorado Boulder chancellor to take any administrative actions necessary to dismiss Professor Tufo from his employment with the University of Colorado,” the resolution read.

Danielle Radovich Piper, CU System senior vice president for external relations and strategy, said the university could not provide more information on exactly what Tufo did that led to his dismissal. She said when tenure is revoked, the administration then dismisses the faculty member from their position and all CU job duties. This case marks the seventh time a professor at a CU campus had tenure revoked since 2000.

Tufo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CU Boulder declined to comment on Tufo’s dismissal due to it being a personnel matter.

Tenure is a level of employment status within the university that ensures job security by protecting professors from being fired or dismissed. Tenure can only be revoked in rare circumstances with significant cause for dismissal.

According to the resolution, former CU Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano notified Tufo in December of 2023 about his intent to dismiss Tufo. Tufo’s case appeared before a hearing panel of the Faculty Senate Committee on Privilege and Tenure that reaffirmed DiStefano’s decision to dismiss.

Chancellor Justin Schwartz reviewed the hearing panel’s report in July and considered the case, agreeing that dismissal was warranted. The matter later appeared before CU President Todd Saliman, who recommended to the Board of Regents on Dec. 12 that it dismiss Tufo from his tenured position. Only the board can revoke tenure. The Board of Regents held a hearing on Tufo’s case in executive session on Thursday. It heard all recommendations, including from the president and Faculty Senate Committee, reviewed materials and listened to both sides before deciding to revoke Tufo’s tenure.

In August, the Board of Regent’s University Affairs Committee heard a presentation reviewing the process to dismiss a tenured faculty member. During that presentation, University Counsel Jeremy Hueth said there have been fewer than 10 cases in the university’s history.

Before Tufo’s dismissal on Thursday, there had been six cases of revoked tenure since 2000. There was one in 2000 for unspecified grounds, one in 2004 for acts including moral turpitude, one in 2007 for conduct falling below minimum standards of professional integrity, one in 2019 for repeated neglect of duty, one in 2020 for conduct falling below minimum standards of professional integrity and one in 2021 for gross and repeated neglect of duty, and behavior that meets the definition of professional incompetence.

The Board of Regents has the power to grant one year of severance pay when revoking tenure. However, the board determined “it would not be appropriate” to provide a year of salary to Tufo upon termination.

The Board of Regents is charged with granting tenure and can revoke it, according to Article 5 of the Laws of the Regents and Regent Policy 5. The regents can revoke tenure for reasons including demonstrable professional incompetence, the conviction of a felony or other crime, violation of university policy on discrimination, sexual misconduct and fiscal misconduct, material or repeated neglect of duty or other conduct that falls below minimum standards of professional integrity.