George Washington University: Violation of Due Process Rights in Sexual Misconduct Policy

Case Materials

• "Problems with the Proposed Sexual Harassment Code of the George Washington University," May 7, 2001
• "GW Faculty Senate Rejects Flawed Code," April 30, 2001: In a stunning and wholly appropriate blow to the university administration, GW's faculty senate voted 15-0 to condemn a proposed sexual harassment code that virtually eliminated due process protections. The spirited discussion before the vote included references to FIRE and a resounding condemnation of Columbia University's atrocious Sexual Misconduct Policy, which has now achieved the dubious distinction of demonstrating how serious charges should not be handled in a civilized community. The proposed code will be redrafted. FIRE has offered to provide technical assistance to the university.
• "FIRE Letter to George Washington University," April 30, 2001
• "What Rights Will be Denied?," April 30, 2001
• "Due Process at the George Washington University," April 27, 2001: The Faculty Senate of the George Washington University will vote today on a proposed Sexual Harassment Policy that denies fundamental fairness to the accused. Unlike its counterparts at Columbia University, GW faculty has drawn up a resolution condeming the indecent code proposed by the GW administration. The vote will take place today. FIRE's resources have been usefully put to work by some of the faculty and a statement by FIRE will be read at today's meeting.
• "A Resolution on the Revised Draft of the Sexual Harassment Policies and Procedures," April 27, 2001
• "Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, April 13, 2001," FIRE Press Release, April 13, 2001
• "FIRE Letter to the George Washington University Faculty Senate," April 1, 2001
• "GW Proposed Sexual Harassment Code," March 30, 2001

Media Coverage

• "More Than One Kind of Sexual Harassment," The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 15, 2001
• "Contested Campus Sex Code," United Press International, June 14, 2001
• "How useful are campus speech codes?," United Press International, June 1, 2001
• "George Washington Professors Reject Harassment Policy," Robin Wilson, The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 18, 2001
• "Grave Injustices," Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 2, 2001
• "Professors Reject Harassment Policy," Becky Guyon, GW Hatchet, April 30, 2001
• "GWU Faculty Rejects Conduct Code; Senate Seeks Sexual Harassment Policy that Protects Teachers' Rights," The Washington Times, April 28, 2001
• "Proposed Harassment Policy Divides GW," Vaishali Honawar, The Washington Times, April 27, 2001