Boston University has been in the news recently, and not for a good reason. A few weeks ago, it was revealed that Professor David Marchant, a teacher in the BU Earth & Environment department and leader of the Antarctic Student Research Group, was accused of sexual harassment by at least two female researchers. The sexually charged threats alleged that Marchant would “throw rocks at the researchers” and, if they complained, he would “ruin their careers.” The women are now coming forward after twenty years to voice their experiences.
BU stated that they have been investigating these claims for “a number of months now,” and that they won’t be able to reach “conclusions” for a while. And what has David Marchant been up to while being investigated for sexual harassment? Teaching at Boston University. Yes, though David Marchant was removed as department head for Earth & Environment, he is still allowed to teach at Boston University.
Photo credit: The Daily Free Press
To allow someone under investigation for directly harming students to continue to teach does not promote students’ safety. And this isn’t the first time BU has come under fire about professors’ sexual harassment.
According to The Guardian, two Boston University undergraduate students filed a lawsuit against Professor Eric Ruske, a teacher of music at BU, in 2016. The accounts were troubling — one student, Erin Shyr, said that Ruske encouraged her to send him “nude photographs” and made suggestive comments “about their bodies and clothing.” Both women have said the emotional trauma from the harassment has deeply affected their lives — even causing one of them, Maria Currie, to transfer schools.
Ruske did not completely deny the claims against him — simply saying he meant “intimacy” and “affection” rather than harm. However, Ruske did not face serious retribution. He is still a professor at Boston University, more than a year after the fact.
According to Boston University’s statement of university values, they are “committed to fostering an environment that is free from all forms of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault and sexual harassment.” BU needs to put in more work in fostering this environment, as these two professors are still allowed to work here despite the multiple claims against them.
Boston University is a great institution where students can learn from their professors and each other. Sexual harassment should not be tolerated on any level. BU needs to follow its values and ensure that no student should ever feel unsafe. If a professor is accused of sexual harassment, BU needs to work immediately to prioritize the safety of its students and investigate the claims. Though it is always pertinent to keep in mind “innocent until proven guilty,” perhaps putting the professor on paid leave rather than allowing them to teach during an investigation would be a more effective way of handling sexual misconduct on the university level.