Sex harassment policy yet to be voted on

Senate members went back and forth for more than a half hour trying to decide on different aspects of the policy, which defines sexual harassment and outlines procedures if a complaint is filed.

But a proposed amendment to the document caused squabbling among several senators, attorneys and members of the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Office, who were present at the meeting.

Sen. Roy Spece, a law professor, proposed instituting the following amendment addressing anonymous complaints by harassment victims: "Anonymous allegations are inherently incredible and will not be accepted as the basis for an investigation or inquiry of any sort."

Spece said the University of Arizona Faculty Senate should make a statement that anonymous complaints are "dangerous ... and should not initiate anything."

But other senators and audience members fired back at Spece, saying some people who do not identify themselves when filing a complaint have credible problems.

UA attorney Elizabeth Buchanan said people without power in the university may silence themselves in order to avoid persecution.

"We've got people who are in weak positions and are afraid to speak out," she said. "We're obliged to protect these people."

Sen. Thomas Davis, a pharmacology professor, said litigation against the UA is a possible result of ignoring complaints.

"Under no circumstances can we turn our backs and ignore an anonymous allegation," he said after the meeting. "We have a difficult but important responsibility to be responsive to anonymous allegations."

UA President Peter Likins also voiced concerns about the proposed amendment.

After the session, Likins said it would be difficult to define which complaints would be ignored and which would be considered.

"There are circumstances in which it's morally and legally necessary to make inquiries about anonymous complaints," he said. "What am I supposed to do? I can't ignore it."

Sen. James Clarke, a political science professor, said he has researched child abuse cases and understands the nature of the situations.

"Anonymous complaints are not inherently incredible," he said.

But Spece responded by saying family and professional problems have different qualities.

"There's a difference between a spouse or significant other and a professor," he said.

Janie Nunez, UA's vice president for affirmative action, said Spece's amendment could be legally eliminated.

"We have to be careful about an amendment that could be considered illegal in the courts," she said.

Both the amendment and the vote on the entire policy were delayed and sent back to the UA's Academic Personnel Policy Committee.

David J. Cieslak can be reached via e-mail at David.J.Cieslak@wildcat.arizona.edu.