Tel Aviv University faculty demand naming professor convicted of sexual harassment

Faculty members at Tel Aviv University called on Tuesday for university management to reconsider the decision to withhold the name of a professor emeritus from publication, who was convicted by the disciplinary tribunal of sexual harassment and behavior unbecoming of an academic faculty member.

In the position paper that reached Walla, they criticize the fact that at the end of two years from the date the sentence was handed down, the professor will be able to return to advising students, even though his identity remains confidential.

The faculty members wrote that the verdict and sentencing paint a picture of ongoing harm to female students, female researchers, and employees.

According to them, the tribunal ruled the complainants' testimonies credible, rejected the professor's claim that it was a conspiracy against him, and determined his actions caused severe damage to the complainants and the university.

The faculty members noted that his advanced age was the decisive consideration on the question of publication, in the words of the tribunal, "albeit somewhat narrowly."

Regarding continued advising, they wrote that the tribunal ruled that "given the nature of the offenses, it is appropriate to restrict for a certain period the defendant's presence in a position of authority." The restriction was set for two years from the date the sentence was handed down.

'It is the university's duty to protect its students'

The faculty members argue that the combination of the confidentiality of the name and the possibility of returning to advising makes it difficult for students to make an informed decision when choosing an advisor.

"It is the university's duty to protect its students and allow them to make an informed decision regarding academic advising," they wrote. According to them, the decision to publish the name has special significance when it involves a conviction for harming those who were subordinate to the faculty member's authority.

In the letter, the faculty members also criticized the weight given, according to them, to the professor's scientific contribution when determining the punishment.

"Academic excellence cannot serve as a mitigating circumstance in sexual harassment or bullying," they wrote. According to their argument, taking scientific achievements into account in sentencing in such cases risks granting preferential treatment to those with status, especially when the harm was committed within the framework of power relations.

Alongside the request to reconsider the confidentiality in this case, the faculty members are calling on the university to establish a policy according to which scientific achievements and academic reputation will not serve as a consideration for leniency in punishment in cases of sexual harassment and bullying within the framework of power relations.

They also ask for consistent rules for publishing disciplinary decisions that take into account the academic community's right to know, as well as the privacy and wishes of the victims of the offense.