The article says he’s an “adjunct professor.” Normally, adjuncts are hired one year to the next, so it doesn’t take much to “fire” them—or just neglect to re-hire them.
But with a month or so to go in the spring term? Extra annoyance for the admin types and the professors who'll be asked to pick up the dismissed adjunct's 100- and 200-level courses. Ah, the joys of freshman literature! .... and remedial reading.