Exhibit A
KENT SWE.

UNIVERSITY

Melody Tankersley
interim Senior Vice President and Provost

August 7, 2019

SENT VIA FEDEX, REGULAR U.S. MAIL and EMAIL

Dr. Jesse Leyva

 

Dear Dr. Leyva.

This letter is formal notice to you that, as provided in Article Section 3.3. ofthe
Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Kent State University and the Tenured and
Tenure-Track Bargaining Unit of the Kent State Chapter of the American Association of
University Professors (AAUP-KSU) that I intend to suspend you beginning August 18, 2019.
This letter is also formal notice to you that I am considering disciplinary action up to and
including termination ofyour employment with Kent State University

This suspension is necessary because it has come to my attention that you may have
engaged in conduct that presents a situation wherein the delaying of this action could
result in immediate harm to a member[s) of the University community. As required by the
CBA, during this suspension you will receive full salary and employee bene?ts as provided
in your current employment contract. This suspension will continue until further notice.
As soon as possible, the University will initiate the formal disciplinary process described in
Article of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

During this suspension you are not expected to be on any of Kent State's Campuses and you
will not be assigned teaching responsibilities. Because of the circumstances leading to this
suspension, you should have no interactions with students in person, by email or through
social media during this time. You are also not expected to attend School, College and
University events at which students are present. Lastly, I must remind you that retaliation
against any person[s] who files a complaint pursuant to applicable University Policy is a

Interim Senior Vice President and Provost

 

PO Box 5190 - Kent. Ohio 44242?0001 0 330-672 8613 0 Fax 330-672-2644 0 mtankers@kent.edu - 

violation of policy as well as the law and is strictly prohibited. Overt or covert acts of
reprisal, interference, restraint, penalty or intimidation against any person who exercises
his/her rights under University Policy and/or participates in the investigation ofa
complaint will be subject to appropriate and prompt disciplinary action.

Both you and AAUP-KSU have an opportunity to respond to this pending action and to
present reasons why the impending action should not be taken. If you or AAUP-KSU wishes to
respond to this pending action, please forward your response directly to me no later than
12:00 pm. on Monday, August 12, 2019. In any situation involving disciplinary action, you
may elect to consult with and/or be represented by an individual designated by AAUP-KSU.

l, or my designee for this matter, will contact you soon about the next steps in this process.

Sincerely,

Melody Tankersley
lnterim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

cc: John Crawford-Spinelli, Dean, College of the Arts
Kent McWilliams, Director, School of Music
Sue Averill, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs
Melissa Zullo, Chapter President, AAUP-KSU
Gina Zavota, Grievance Officer, AAUP-KSU