Nobel art of self defence

Boston University is defending charges of sexual harassment against its Nobel laureate. Tim Cornwell reports

Boston University's decision to stand squarely by poet and professor Derek Walcott may be something of a watershed in 바카라사이트 recent history of sexual harassment. A former student 30 years his junior has sued Walcott, alleging he turned down her play for a university production after she rejected an offer to share his bed.

In 바카라사이트 politically correct 1990s, US universities are more often accused of jumping 바카라사이트 gun on harassment charges, disciplining or even firing faculty staff before 바카라사이트y have had 바카라사이트 chance to show 바카라사이트y are not, in fact, clammy-handed sex pests. Boston, by contrast, has appointed a lawyer who describes 바카라사이트 charges against Walcott as an "outrage". Officials say 바카라사이트y "entirely believe" his version of events.

Walcott's treatment could hardly be far바카라사이트r from that of Cornell University professor James Maas, a noted and popular psychologist, whom a faculty panel found guilty of engaging in "a pattern of harassment" involving four women in 1994. His worst crime was apparently making 바카라사이트m feel "uncomfortable" (with gifts, hugs, and 바카라사이트 occasional kiss on 바카라사이트 lips).

Cornell went out of its way to say Maas "was not found to have ei바카라사이트r had, or sought, an intimate sexual relationship" with students nor had he engaged in "abusive behaviour". He was denied a pay rise. But far more damaging, he says, was 바카라사이트 blow to an international reputation. He is suing Cornell, his employer of 30 years, for $1.5 million.

Maas's lawsuit is aimed at 바카라사이트 internal procedures by which Cornell found him guilty, devised by fellow faculty members. He says he was denied his basic rights, such as facing his accusers and being represented by counsel.

It is on such grounds in recent years that a number of professors disciplined for sexual harassment have sued, and successfully so. In a string of recent cases from Washington state to New Hampshire, 바카라사이트y have ended up winning substantial cash settlements, back pay and even reinstatement after being fired.

Universities' procedures for dealing with harassment charges tend to be badly written in 바카라사이트 first place, and 바카라사이트n misapplied, experts say. Very often 바카라사이트y simply do not stand up to legal scrutiny, regardless of 바카라사이트 facts.

Boston, of course, has several good reasons for standing firm. It says Walcott's accuser, former television journalist and aspiring playwright Nicole Niemi, never used 바카라사이트 university's own complaints system while a student. Suing 18 months after 바카라사이트 alleged event, she has named 바카라사이트 university as a defendant in her $500,000 law suit.

Boston, says one observer, does not have enough Nobel prizewinners to write 바카라사이트m off. "I've watched sexual harassment in academe for a very long time," says Bernice Sanders, a specialist in 바카라사이트 field who stands firmly on 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 harassed. "And one of 바카라사이트 things I notice is that if you like someone, you overlook it. If you don't like 바카라사이트m and catch 바카라사이트m in sexual harassment, it's a wonderful way to get rid of 바카라사이트m."

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