WSU Reviews Its Procedures For Sex Harassment Complaints

Some Washington State University faculty want to end the practice of handling sexual misconduct cases behind closed doors.

In a claim filed with the state, former sociology Professor Valerie Jenness contends her WSU teaching contract wasn’t renewed after allegations of sexual harassment from students, while male professors were simply given a slap on the wrist for the same type of allegations.

The university hopes to announce shortly a plan to improve its procedure for preventing sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination.

Many instances of sexual misconduct by faculty are handled “very quietly and behind the scenes,” said Peggy Chevalier, chairwoman of a faculty committee that reviewed the handling of Jenness’ dismissal in 1996.

In some cases, allegations are too easily dismissed. In other cases, faculty aren’t given due process, she said.

In her claim, Jenness writes that at the time allegations against her were reviewed, a male faculty member in her department admitted to requesting sex from a female graduate student “in exchange for academic favors.”

That professor, Jenness writes, was required by the department chair only to apologize.

Under the faculty manual, allegations of sexual misconduct are handled first by the teacher’s department chair. “We don’t have chairs with enough training and experience to handle those cases,” Chevalier said, “and they are too likely to dismiss the case.”

Chevalier recommends setting up a faculty panel trained in issues of sexual harassment to review such allegations.

Provost Geoff Gamble said WSU’s handling of sexual harassment allegations isn’t arbitrary. “There are clear procedures,” he said, and rights of accused faculty are protected.

“We treat all of these cases with a tremendous amount of care,” Gamble said.

A faculty review of Jenness’ dismissal found that the student withdrew allegations of sexual harassment within days of making them, and that university officials investigated a second relationship between Jenness and a graduate student in which no charges of harassment had been made.

The issue of when and how a relationship with a student becomes sexual harassment is tricky.

Neill Walker, president of the Associated Students of WSU, said there is never a justification for professors making sexual advances toward undergraduate students.

“I’d like to see the university bring heavy pressure against faculty who would offer you a grade and offer you a couch,” he said. “Making a sexual advance is sexual harassment and should be grounds for dismissal.”