Texas regents to weigh prof's porn firing

SAN ANTONIO, June 17 (UPI) -- University of Texas regents will weigh in on a dispute over the firing of a professor in San Antonio who had porn stashed on his work computer.

The board agreed to step in after a faculty tribunal overturned the decision by the University of Texas San Antonio to terminate Professor Ronald Ayers for the racy material he downloaded on to a state-owned computer.

The San Antonio Express-News reports the tribunal contended Ayers had done nothing illegal despite exercising poor judgment. However, the school says its policy on computer porn is zero tolerance and well known.

The newspaper said the regents have the choice of backing the tribunal, asking the tribunal to reconsider its decision or to overturn it and validate Ayers' dismissal.