From The Fix - Edited by Nathan Harden, co-developer of the Youth Misery Index:

By Juila Dent, Meredith College

When Robert Klein Engler–a conservative professor at Roosevelt University–was fired from his position, he was upset. He was frustrated. And he was completely in the dark.

University officials refused to specify exactly why he had been let go, and did not divulge the details until two months after the firing, in August of 2010. The reason? He told a politically incorrect joke. Now Engler is suing the university and its union for failing to protect his academic freedom.

Initially, the university’s official word on the firing was that Engler did not cooperate with its investigation of him. But according to Engler, there was no investigation, and the university never informed him of what they were investigating.

“After many written requests to know the charges against me so I could prepare an adequate defense, they refused to cooperate,” Engler said. “If the RU administration had just told me and the union what the false and baseless charges were, then this whole matter would have evaporated like dew on the grass when sunlight warms the morning.”

He is now suing both Roosevelt University and the Roosevelt Adjunct Faculty Organization, the union that he claims failed to protect his interests.