WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Ivor Van Heerden will keep his position for at least the next week.

The judge wrapped court late tonight but said the hearing could not continue until next Thursday.
Lawyers for LSU argue that Van Heerden's termination was strictly business and cited budget cuts for deciding not to renew his contract.

Since Van Heerden was not tenure track, LSU said they didn't have to tell him why he was being let go. But Van Heerden's attorney, Jill Craft, is arguing that the LSU School of Engineering deliberately targeted Van Heerden. She says they gave him no reason for termination or options for staying on as a faculty member.

During a line of questioning by the judge himself, one witness said the Chancellor did express some options for keeping Van Heerden on. However, those options were not relayed to Van Heerden.