Buckingham, Busch-Vishniac say goodbye to University of Saskatchewan

Robert Buckingham and Ilene Busch-Vishniac are both resigning from their teaching positions at the University of Saskatchewan after a tumultuous year.

Robert Buckingham, former dean of the School of Public Health, was fired and stripped of his tenure on May 14, 2014 after speaking out against the school's cost-cutting plan. Following public criticism, his tenured academic position was restored the next day, but not his other post as head of the School of Public Health.

In an email to CBC News, Buckingham wrote, "I have resigned my faculty position but will be coming back to finish up a few projects for one more year."

Buckingham noted he would not be conducting this work as a faculty member.

Busch-Vishniac cites academic isolation, trauma

Following Buckingham's firing, stripping of tenure, and reinstatement, Ilene Busch-Vishniac was terminated without cause as president of the University of Saskatchewan on May 21, 2014.

At the time, the university's board of governors said Busch-Vishniac would continue in a teaching capacity at the university.

In an email to CBC News, Busch-Vishniac confirmed she had resigned from her position as a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Busch-Vishniac also included her resignation letter to the department in the email.

In the letter, dated May 31, she wrote "in addition to feeling academically isolated, I confess that the trauma I have suffered due to my treatment by the Board and others has made it impossible to simply live an academic life."

Busch-Vishniac thanked Jim Bugg, Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and stated her resignation is effective August 31, 2015.

Busch-Vishniac has filed a lawsuit over her dismissal, claiming more than $8.5 million in damages.

Premier Brad Wall and the former Minister of Advanced Education Rob Norris are named as defendants, along with the University of Saskatchewan and its Board of Governors.