By
Ryan Gabrielson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Discussion about anonymous accusers is postponed until next month's meeting
Faculty senators continued debating yesterday whether anonymous sexual harassment accusations should be allowed under the new sexual harassment policy being considered by the senate.
At yesterday afternoon's University of Arizona Faculty Senate meeting, several senators continued to argue whether it was beneficial to allow anonymous accusations until the item was tabled.
The senators were presented with a new policy on allegations of sexual harassment against members of the faculty that allows accusations of sexual harassment to be anonymous, which some of the senators disagreed with.
"Is this a sufficient safeguard against (false accusations)?" asked Sen. Peter Medine, an UA English professor.
While some senators were concerned that a member of the faculty that is accused may not have the opportunity to face their accuser, other senators were in favor of anonymous accusations.
"We have anonymous complaints all the time in our society," said Sen. Andrew Silverman, a law professor. "What do you think 911 is?"
But Sen. John Garrard, professor of Russian and Slavic languages, said that this is a unique situation in which anonymous complaints could be dangerous to some innocent members of the faculty, since it could make it easier for people to make such accusations anonymously.
"What the hell is this? You're justifying this?" Garrard asked Silverman.
"(The person making the accusation) may feel in great jeopardy," Silverman responded. "Do we want to turn our backs to it?"
Sen. Miklos Szilagyi, professor of computer and electrical engineering, said he doesn't think there is even a need for the new policy since there are only between seven and 10 accusations of sexual harassment a year.
"I don't think even seven cases a year is enough," Szilagyi said.
But Sen. Shirley O'Brien, associate director of operations, replied, "If there is one complaint, it is enough to have a very serious conversation about this issue."
Before the debate ended, Sen. Brian Mitchell, university librarian, said that the two sides need to come to some middle ground.
"We're walking a tightrope here," Mitchell said. "This may be a situation where we can't make everyone happy."
Further discussion about the proposed policy is scheduled for next month's meeting.
