Wortis v. Trustees of Tufts College

Summary

The court held that the tenure documents made economic security a substantive contractual protection, but that the term was ambiguous as applied to substantial salary and full-time-status reductions. Because material factual questions remained concerning the reasonable expectations, customs, and practices governing such reductions, summary judgment for Tufts on the compensation claims was improper. The court held that tenure did not guarantee particular laboratory space or its equivalent, affirmed judgment on the laboratory-space claims, and remanded the compensation-related claims for further proceedings.