Overview
- Associate professor Darren Michael returned to his tenured role on December 30, 2025, university officials confirmed.
- APSU will pay Michael $500,000 and reimburse therapeutic counseling costs, according to the settlement obtained by local media.
- The agreement requires a campus-wide regret statement over the improper process, and President Mike Licari issued an apology.
- Michael was initially fired on September 12, 2025 after sharing an article about Charlie Kirk without adding commentary, a post later amplified by Senator Marsha Blackburn.
- The dispute sits within a broader wave of firings, suspensions, and lawsuits tied to reactions to Kirk’s killing.