Colleges: The Perils of Being Offbeat

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Franconia's teachers were angered by the trustees' failure to consult them about Ruopp's dismissal. A direct showdown came when the board let the contracts of two teachers lapse, despite a recommendation from a faculty committee that they be rehired. That led to the mass resignations of teachers and staff. Much to their surprise, the trustees accepted them all. Since a dozen more teachers had departed earlier, Franconia now faces the fall with only 20 teachers, half the number of last year's staff. No one knows for sure how many students will bother to show up for class in September.