Crenshaw v. Erskine College

Summary

The court held that the Faculty Manual formed an enforceable contract with Crenshaw as a tenured professor, notwithstanding its general disclaimer. It concluded that the president's actions merely initiated contractual termination proceedings, that Crenshaw's failure to request a hearing prevented review by the faculty committee and Board of Trustees, and that Erskine therefore did not breach the contract as a matter of law. The court also rejected Crenshaw's claims concerning early retirement, good faith, and suspension. The separate dissent would have upheld the jury's verdict because the existence, terms, and alleged breach of the contract presented factual questions for the jury.