Churchill dismissal-for-cause hearing scheduled to take place soon, maybe

According to CU's Silver & Gold Record (right sidebar news briefs):

A dismissal-for-cause hearing is being scheduled for early January for Professor Ward Churchill of UCB ethnic studies, Privilege and Tenure (P&T) Committee Chair Weldon Lodwick of UCDHSC mathematics confirmed this week.

Churchill will represent himself:

Churchill told S&GR that he has agreed to participate in the dismissal process, despite being turned down for the $20,000 in legal assistance that is outlined in the Faculty Senate bylaws, but which was never approved by the Board of Regents. Churchill said that while he has been "placed at a great disadvantage," he will represent himself in the proceedings, without an attorney.

What a strange graf. Chutch "agreed to participate in the dismissal process"? Meaning what? That he could have turned it down--"thanks guys, but it's a new semester and I want to get back to teaching?" Or is it that (more rationally) he could have gotten a delay (!) in the process in order to find another lawyer?

What happened to Churchill's attorney, David Lane, anyway? Did he quit because he couldn't get his $20,000? Hard to imagine Dave turning down the free publicity even if Churchill couldn't pay him a dime. Maybe they had a falling out, which, as the old saying goes, such people often do. Or maybe Lane realized the case is a slam-dunk loss and doesn't want to be associated with it anymore.

Of course, knowing Churchill, it's just as likely he wants a Putsch-type trial where he can soliloquize for hour after hour after hour, all by himself. Gee, if Ben Whitmer, who by the way is teaching a class at CU this Spring (see update X), were still blogging, he could enlighten us on Chutch's strategery.

(via PB!)

Update: What's with this story showing up in the Silver & Gold Record anyway? A week and a half ago at that, way back on December 21? Everybody missed it. But okay, we're all forgiven, for the de-Chutchinating process has begun anew! "Early in January" means this week or next, right? The Drunkablog promises to be awake when it begins (no guarantees after that).

Update II: One more stupid question: what's with the casual mention that another CU professor is going through the dismissal-for-cause process?

Lodwick had told Faculty Senate on Nov. 30 that there are two dismissal-for-cause processes under way, and while he would not identify that other faculty member's rank or home campus this week, he confirmed that a faculty member other than Churchill also is undergoing CU's dismissal procedures.

Update III: Okay, one more: Why is the one "procedure" secret and t'other, not?

Update IV: Once you start, you can't stop! Where's the ACLU, of which Lane is a member? If it's all about the relentless suppression of Churchill's free speech, why isn't there a flotilla of ACLU lawyers around him right now? Even the Lawyers Guild, which earlier in the controversy bravely manned the barricades to defend Churchill's &tc., doesn't seem interested.

Update V: Not sure whether anyone has noticed either that there's a sycophantic post at the Ward Churchill Solidarity Network on Chutch's appearance at the New School in December--an appearance with (cue ominous music) surprising consequences! Wonder who wrote it?

Update V: Grant Crowell says Churchill's hearing will be closed to the public.

Update VI: Jim Paine of PB notes that he's finally dug himself and fambly out of the central Colorado snow cave they've been stuck in since last week. Ludicrously, he claims no cannibalism took place.

Update VII: Once again I changed a post title--this time, however, only because it wasn't true, and not because I was afraid of being sued (see update V).