Office of the Dean 215 Johnston Hall

Twin Cities Campus 101 Pleasant Street S.E.

College of Liberal Arts Minneapolis, MN 55455
Fax: 612-624-6839

September 5, 2013

Dr. Gilbert Rodman

Department of Communication Studies
College of Liberal Arts
Room 225 Ford Hall
224 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455 Personal and Confidential

Dear Dr. Rodman:

As detailed in the July 3, 2013 findings letter from the University’s Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
(EOAA) office, their investigation has substantiated that you have engaged in behavior constituting sexual
harassment in your role as an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies. You met with us
on August 22, 2013 in response to our notice of proposed discipline.

The College of Liberal Arts is committed to ensuring a workplace and learning environment which is free from
harassment and discrimination. The EOAA report confirmed violation of the Regents Policy on Sexual
Harassment as well as the Regents Policy on Equity, Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action. As an
educational institution, we are genuinely concerned about the negative impact on the academic environment as
well as the individuals who experienced your inappropriate behavior.

In response to the findings, the College of Liberal Arts and Department of Communication Studies are acting on a
number of the recommendations laid forth by EOAA. In order to continue in your role as a tenured associate
professor, the following sanction and expectations are hereby instituted:

1) This response constitutes a letter of formal reprimand, as specified by the Board of Regents Policy:
Faculty Tenure, Section 10.22. Future incidents of the same or similar harassing behavior will result in
further disciplinary action likely to include suspension or termination. Please review that section and the
University’s Conflict Resolution policies and procedures to understand your rights to grieve the letter of
reprimand in the Office for Conflict Resolution.

Apart from the discipline of placing this letter of reprimand in your file, the following administrative changes and
expectations will apply immediately:

2) You will be removed from any position that involves evaluating ’distributing resources
This includes, but is not limited to evaluating teaching and/or voting on
promotion and/or participating in any annual and merit reviews

3) You will be removed from any position that involves evaluating distributing resources to

4) You are required to participate in sexual harassment training as designated by the college’s human
resources department by or before December 31, 2013. Successful completion of this training must be
reported to the college and department no later than January 8, 2014.

5) Outside of departmentally organized events, you are expected to conduct all teaching, advising, and other
academic pursuits with current or prospective students on campus. In the event that a student or
 prospective student approaches you about academic matters off campus, you may provide your University
c9ntact information and/or refer them to the appropriate University or department resource. Similarly, it is
expected that you use University provided electronic communications (email, phone, calendar, website) to
communicate with students, not external social media sites or texting.

6) With the exception of communal office space, it is expected that you will announce yourself (for example,
by saying ’hello’ and/or knocking) and request permission to enter individual faculty, graduate student or
staff offices and workspaces. This includes shared workspaces of graduate students. In particular, you are
not to enter unless expressly invited by to do so.

7) Because of the inherent power differential between faculty and students, it is strongly advised that you not
engage in social or personal relationships with current or prospective students as outlined in the
University’s Code of Conduct.

8) In 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years, you will be removed from responsibilities connected with
the facilitation of the research presentations in the Department of Communication Studies.

9) Adherence to the above sanctions will be regularly monitored over the course of the next two years. At
that time, a determination will be made as to whether or not continued monitoring is required. Department
Chair, Dr. Ronald Greene, will work with you to develop a plan for regular check-ins.

While these are substantial measures, they are achievable and commensurate with the findings of the
investigation. Your August 6, 2013 memo responding to the EOAA report is also noted and will be kept with the
investigation file. Any form of retaliation against those participating in this investigation is prohibited. We expect
that you will take these recommendations seriously as an established faculty member in the College and an
important member of the Department of Communication Studies.

Rona M \Talter Greene, Ph.D.

Profess’if and Chair
Department of Communication Studies

c: Lisa Bachman, Human Resources Director

Kimberly Hewitt, EOAA Director
Michal Kobialka, Associate Dean for Faculty
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Twin Cities Campus
PRtVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL
Office of Equal Opportunity and/ffirmath’e Action 274 McNarnaja Alumni Center
200 Oak Street SE.
Office for Equity and Diversity Minneapolis, Al 55455
Office: 612-624-9547
Fax: 612-625-5223
htlps://diversiiv. wnn. edu/eoaa/
E-mail: eoaa@uum.edu

July 3, 2013

Dr. Gilbert Rodman

Dear Drs. Rodman

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action ("EOAA") has completed its
investigation of complaint that Dr. Gilbert Rodman sexually harassed
and/or discriminated against based on gender.
Dr. Rodman is an Associate Professor in the Communication Studies Department
("Department").

EOAA Associate Tina Marisam investigated whether Dr. Rodman violated the
University’s Equity, Diversity, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action and/or Sexual
Harassment policies, which prohibit discrimination, harassment and prejudice based on
an individual’s gender. In the course of our Office’s investigation, Ms. Marisarn
interviewed I , Dr. Rodman,. Department faculty members, numerous
graduate students and other witnesses to collect relevant information. This letter
summarizes) - and other graduate students’ concerns and our
Office’s findings.

FINDINGS

DR. RODMAN’S iNITiATION OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH

APPLICANT AND INCOMING FACULTY MEMBERS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS

Dr. Rodman has frequently initiated personal relationships with incoming Department
members before they arrive on campus. In some cases, Dr. Rodman has formed personal
relationships with faculty member and graduate student candidates while the Department
considered their applications.

This letter describes incidents that reportedly occurred between 2009 and the present.
2 In September 2011, 1 complained to the EOAA that Dr. Rodman had engaged in
sexually harassing conduct. Since the Department was addressing Dr. Rodman’s conduct,
did not want the EOAA to conduct an investigation at that time. The EOAA re-interviewed
in connection with complaint. An abbreviated version of this letter has been
sent to
For example, Dr. Rodman text messaged with details about the Department’s
consideration of candidacy. 3 He reportedly wrote that the first vote on andidacy
was close, that a second vote would take place on a specified date and that had his
vote. He called to congratulate after the Department offered a post-doctoral
position. He asked whether had a significant other and offered to help with
relocation to the Twin Cities. Because was in the - Dr. Rodman
visited potential homes and accepted a package for At Dr. Rodman’ s invitation,
stayed at his home until their apartment lease began. 4

Dr. Rodman has similarly contacted incoming graduate students to offer advice and invite
them for a drink or meal. He informed at least one graduate student applicant that she
would be receiving good news about her admission application. He invited at least one
graduate student to stay at his house until her lease began. He has repeatedly text
messaged and Facebook chatted with newly-admitted students about both academic and
personal topics. One incoming graduate student told Dr. Rodman that their relationship
(which included conversations about their romantic relationships) had become too
personal and needed to become more formal once she arrived on campus.

Dr. Rodman’s early communications with and a number of female graduate

students left them feeling pressured, confused and anxious. These communications felt
inappropriately personal and informal given Dr. Rodman’s superior position in the
Department and the professional setting. and these graduate students felt
compelled to communicate with Dr. Rodman about non-University matters prior to their
arrival on campus and to accept his offers of assistance because he is a tenured faculty
member. As a result of these early interactions, and these graduate students
entered the Department feeling uncomfortably indebted to Dr. Rodman and worried that
their relationships with Dr. Rodman had already become more personal than they wanted.

DR. RODMAN’S ATTEMPTS To FORM SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

WITH AND GRADUATE STUDENTS

Dr. Rodman has routinely attempted to develop social relationships with and
graduate students outside of the University-setting. For example, Dr. Rodman invited
to his house, to meals at restaurants, for happy hour drinks and to concerts. At times
he invited on several occasions he requested to spend social time
with when he knew would be unable to attend. repeatedly
declined or deflected his invitations, except on several occasions where felt she could
not decline in a socially acceptable manner that would preserve their professional
relationship. believed that effectively expressed that -. did not want to spend

Dr. Rodman recalls text messaging but does not recall the content of the messages.
’ Dr. Rodman also had significant contact with another candidate for post-doctoral
position. He and this candidate reportedly walked and talked for at least several hours while at an
academic conference. When later interviewing on-campus for the position, the candidate reported
having had "a late night" with Dr. Rodman during interview trip.

2
social time with Dr. Rodman on numerous occasions, and was repeatedly shocked when
he kept asking.

Similarly, Dr. Rodman regularly invites and pays for graduate students to join him for
drinks, meals, concerts, football-watching and other off-campus social events. He
considers some graduate students to be personal friends who he socializes with
individually. Dr. Rodman has frequently initiated conversations with graduate students
about nonacademic matters in-person, by text message or by Facebook. For example, he
repeatedly messaged several graduate students about non-academic matters on
weekends or at night. He text messaged one student on multiple occasions when he was
drinking at a bar near house. One student reported to a professor that had
received a Facebook message from Dr. Rodman stating, "I’m drunk." 5

Dr. Rodman regularly invites his graduate students to join him for happy hour drinks
after class. A number of graduate students have felt pressured to attend, either
because Dr. Rodman specifically invited them or because he appeared to become upset
when they did not attend. For example, in his Fall 2009 graduate seminar, Dr. Rodman
reportedly answered a student’s in-class question about a reading assignment by asking
why had not attended the happy hour gatherings to discuss question. 6 Another
- student in that course asked Dr. Rodman via the class blog whether the class could
attend a relevant lecture during the course meeting time. Dr. Rodman replied: "So in a
two-month span, I can only get two people out of a group of twenty to show up for post-
class beers (and that only once) ... but you want me to cancel half of tomorrow’s class
for a meet-and-greet with a film director? Sorry. No dice. . .

Some graduate students reported that when they asked Dr. Rodman for academic
advice or instruction, he nearly always suggested that they meet off-campus for a drink or
meal. They felt that Dr. Rodman expected some degree of socializing and personal
conversation during these meetings, even when the purpose of the meetings was
academic. Several graduate students reported that their attempts to discuss
academic matters with Dr. Rodman were derailed because he wanted to discuss personal
matters. For example, Dr. Rodman wrote on a graduate student’s paper
something like: "We can discuss my comments when we have the drink you have been
avoiding having with me."

This Office is concerned by Dr. Rodman’s initiation of social and personal relationships
with subordinate for several reasons. First, and a number of
graduate students reported that Dr. Rodman’ s social invitations and/or personal inquiries
have at times been unwelcome, inappropriate and uncomfortably persistent. Second,
and some graduate students have felt compelled to accept Dr. Rodman’ s
invitations for social meetings because of his higher professional status, even when they
would have preferred to maintain a solely professional relationship with him. Third, a
number of graduate students have felt compelled to spend social time and/or engage in
personal conversations with Dr. Rodman in order to obtain academic feedback or advice.

Dr. Rodman states that he would not have sent such a message.
6
Dr. Rodman does not believe he would have made this comment.

3
Fourth, and some graduate students have experienced Dr. Rodman’s
requests to spend time with them individually, off-campus and otherwise as conduct of a
sexual nature.

and several graduate students reported that they attempted to politely decline Dr.
Rodman ’ s social invitations, but that he either did not understand their social cues or
disregarded them. They reported that Dr. Rodman continued to invite them to social
meetings and initiate nonacademic conversation long after they made clear that they did
not want a personal relationship with him. Dr. Rodman’ s persistent requests led
and a number of graduate students to feel deeply uncomfortable and to avoid Dr. Rodman
and his courses.

pDR. RODMAN’S !iui

1.
and a number of graduate students have found Dr. Rodman’s
communications with them to be offensive, inappropriately sexual and/or overly informal
given his superior status as a tenured faculty member. and some graduate
students felt that Dr. Rodman engaged in such inappropriate communications with them
because they are

Dr. Rodman’s Comments Perceived

By s Aggressive And Demeaning

Over the past two years, Dr. Rodman has made a number of comments that has
found demeaning and aggressive, alternately attempted to deflect, ignore and
confront these comments. Some comments consisted of insults to - made
in, presence, which perceived as an attempt to emasculate For example,
reported the following comments:

Dr. Rodman repeatedly joked that did not know how to use
bathroom water taps when they stayed at Dr. Rodman’ s home.

mentioned that felt ready to teach an upcoming course. Dr.

Rodman responded with something like, "Well, I guess you need to be better than
at something."

After repeatedly declining Dr. Rodman’s invitations, finally agreed to have

dinner with Dr. Rodman in February 2012, when could also attend.
During dinner, Dr. Rodman commented about ’You know
can’t eat with a knife and fork" and "You know . likes to wear a tutu."

Dr. Rodman did not specifically recall making a number of the reported comments listed in this
section. However, he stated that most of the reported comments are consistent with the type of
comments that he might make. This Office has noted herein when Dr. Rodman believes that he
would not have made a reported comment.

11
 Dr Rodman’s Inquiries Into Personal Life

reported that Dr. Rodman repeatedly inquired into personal life, despite
evident reluctance to share the requested personal information. For example,
reported the following exchanges:

Dr. Rodman asked to become Facebook friends with

responded that did not want colleagues as Facebook friends. Dr. Rodman
raised refusal to be his Facebook friend several times. He said that he would ask
about past and secrets since he could not learn about them on
Facebook.

After’ aioved homes, Dr. Rodman asked about the location of new home
several times despite evading answering the question.

Dr. Rodman asked age on multiple occasions, which refused to divulge.

Dr. Rodman later discovered age against wishes by inquiring at
separate times about brother’s age and the age difference between
brother.

is Dr. Rodman told in front of other faculty: "You don’t look a day over
thirty." experienced this comment as aggressive and demeaning, particularly
given that had told Dr. Rodman that lid not want to discuss her age.

Dr. Rodman’s Attempts To Form Running Jokes

With And Graduate Students

and several graduate students reported that Dr. Rodman attempted to form
running personal jokes with them. They felt uncomfortable with the familiar and
chummy nature of the jokes and the perception such jokes gave of a personal
relationship. However, they felt compelled to play along lest they jeopardize their
relationship with a tenured faculty member.

One running joke consisted of Dr. Rodman repeatedly approaching in office

and in the hallway while pretending to be a student. He assumed a false student voice
and posture and said things like, would you help me with my paper?"
told Dr. Rodman on multiple occasions that did not want to role-play, that found
such role-play humiliating and that wanted him to stop. On one occasion, asked
him to stop and then turned around and resumed working while he remained in her office.

Dr. Rodman’s Sexual Comments and Jokes

To And Graduate Students

Dr. Rodman has occasionally made sexual jokes and comments to and graduate
students. While sporadic, these comments and jokes have been sexually explicit,
offensive and, at times, confrontational. The individuals receiving them felt
uncomfortable, anxious and vulnerable. For example, 1 graduate
students reported the following comments:

Sexual Comments And Jokes To

While staying at Dr. Rodman’ s home with opened the bathroom

cabinet to unpack her toiletries, found one shelf apparently cleared for use,
except for a single condom lying in the center. noticed that the bottles on
another shelf had all been turned backwards, indicating that Dr. Rodman had prepared
the bathroom for 3nd left the condom where would find it. Dr. Rodman
denied purposefully leaving the condom for

mentioned that her nephew was about to turn 14. reports that Dr.
Rodman asked whether ’had asked her nephew whether he had gotten laid yet."
Dr. Rodman does not believe he would have made this comment.

During a dinner with I Dr. Rodman began making jokes about

dog, including "maybe his wang smells like bacon" and "I don’t know,
maybe you fellated [the dog]." Dr. Rodman does not specifically recall making these
comments, but said they are in line with his sometimes "off-color attempts at wit."

On one occasion, felt could no longer politely refuse Dr. Rodman’s

invitations and agreed to meet him for dinner when was out of town.
When the waitress asked if they wanted a beverage, Dr. Rodman asked the waitress
whether she was trying to get him drunk.

At one of the Department’s research presentations, sat in the

front row with a desk between them. In front of graduate students and faculty
members, Dr. Rodman commented, "It’s not like we don’t know are
heterosexual."

Sexual Comments And Jokes To Graduate Students

A few graduate students occasionally received Dr. Rodman’s sexually explicit jokes
or comments. These students were not comfortable sharing the substance of the
comments for confidentiality reasons.

A graduate student posted a picture of’ students on Facebook.

Dr. Rodman posted a joking comment about how three of the students were wearing
short and strapless dresses, while the other was not, graduate students felt
uncomfortable with a professor making such a comment, particularly because it
implied that Dr. Rodman wished the other woman had also been wearing a short and
strapless dress.

A graduate student posted a photograph caption referring tc ’Marxist boyfriend"

on Facebook. Dr. Rodman posted in response: "Your ’marxist bf? Suggesting that
somewhere you’ve got a ’capitalist bf or a ’barter-economy bf stashed away? Do
 they know about each other?" At least one graduate student felt uncomfortable with
Dr. Rodman’ s insinuation that the student would have multiple boyfriends at once.

At a going-away party for a faculty member, Dr. Rodman had a personal conversation
with a undergraduate student that appeared inappropriately intimate to some
graduate students. Dr. Rodman and the exchanged phone numbers at
the party. Dr. Rodman text messaged the student two times that evening after he left
the party. Dr. Rodman reported that he subsequently became friends with the
undergraduate and at times met socially.

WITH GRADUATE STUDENTS

A number of ’graduate students reported that Dr. Rodman repeatedly attempted to

convince them to take his courses. They did not want to take his courses, but wanted to
maintain a cordial relationship given his role as their superior within the Department.
One student asked Dr. Rodman for a class syllabus. He reportedly responded: "If you
want the syllabus, you should take the class." The student felt that Dr. Rodman was
angry that had not enrolled in his course. Dr. Rodman does not remember this
comment and believes that it would have been out of character.

Another student, - reported that Dr. Rodman repeatedly asked to take one
of his courses. When declined, Dr. Rodman stated that did not need one of
chosen courses and should take his instead. - began to avoid Dr. Rodman
because felt anxious that he would continue to ask o take his course.

Dr. Rodman later emailed "[G]iven your research interests, why didn’t you
sign up for ’Media, Race, and Identity’? Or have you given up on race?" felt
distressed and unsure how to respond. consulted with advisor who helped
craft an email that read, in part: "[Your] course looked fantastic, but it was material I’d
already covered, so I decided to take the historical course ’Intellectual History of Race’
instead . .

Dr. Rodman replied in a lengthy email further questioning decision. For

example, he stated: "But I guess I’m a bit confused as to how you knew my course
covered old ground for you without actually talking with me about it." He further stated,
"I certainly can’t tell you with absolute certainty that the course you chose instead isn’t
better for you in the long run. But I’ll also admit that it feels a little . . . awkward . . . that
you came to that conclusion without ever checking in with me, even briefly."

politely replied that she had spoken with advisor about course choices.
Dr. Rodman responded: "Thanks for the follow up. I figured you’d probably talked to
* some body* about your choice of courses. But, yeah, it probably would have been nice
if you and/or [your advisor] had checked with me about what I was planning for this
version of the class (or about when I might teach it again). Even with such a
conversation, of course, you might still have made the very same decision you did. And
that’s cool. ’Cause then you’d have been able to make a decision based on the best
possible knowledge about what my course was likely to be like, and I wouldn’t have been
scratching my head trying to figure out why the grad student in the department whose
stated research interests are the most tightly aligned with the focus of the course wasn’t
actually taking it."

- experienced unwanted physical contact from Dr. Rodman,

also reported that Dr. Rodman entered personal space in an unwelcome and
uncomfortable manner. report the following incidents (which Dr.
Rodman denies, except where otherwise noted):

Br. Rodman’s Encroachment On Personal Space

reports that Dr. Rodman once put his thumb on her forehead and pushed. 8

reports that Dr. Rodman entered office unannounced on multiple

occasions. would turn around, and he would be standing there silently.
felt extremely uncomfortable that Dr. Rodman had intentionally watched work
without cnowledge, and rearranged desk so that faced the door.

’ On other occasions, reports that Dr. Rodman would simply stand silently in
C office. felt increasingly uncomfortable and made conversation. Sometimes
Dr. Rodman laughed and called her a "chatterbox" or "charming." found
these comments condescending, and the experiences draining, left work because
of one of them.

Is reports that, while were staying at Dr. Rodman’s home,

Dr. Rodman stood near and looked at personal belongings while removed
something from suitcase.

Dr. Rodman’s Encroachment On I Personal Space

Dr. Rodman reportedly approached from behind and touched shoulders

and ruffled hair in an attempt to get around at a Department party. Dr.
Rodman stated that he may have touched shoulder in an attempt to pass
by

Dr. Rodman acknowledged repeatedly knocking knuckles or "fist-bumping" with

felt uncomfortable with the physical contact and the chummy relationship
that it implied, told him did not want to fist bump anymore. When he later

’ In response to EOAA Associate Ms. Marisam’s question whether he had made this gesture
before, Dr. Rodman responded that "this is the kind of thing I might be doing while giving a lover
a massage." Dr. Rodman’s reference to "giving a lover a massage" conveyed sexual detail not
necessary to answer the question and could be interpreted as inappropriately provocative given
the context of a one-on-one meeting with a female sexual harassment investigator.
 fist bumped again, repeated that did not want to fist bump. Later that
afternoon, Dr. Rodman lightly hit on her right arm as passed him on the
stairs. experienced his arm-punch as an aggressive refusal to accept
clear request not to be touched.

On one occasion, Professor Rodman acknowledges that he snuck up behind

in an apparent attempt to scare

- felt that Dr. Rodman stared at chest during a one-on-one meeting with
him on the Department’s recruitment day.

Is On one occasion, Dr. Rodman reportedly visited - office to ask whether -

was planning to take his class and stood over n an aggressive manner.

On a plane ride to an academic conference, Dr. Rodman asked to exchange

seats with another passenger so that Dr. Rodman and could sit next to one
another. replied that would rather keep ticketed seat because
was a superstitious flyer. Despite stated preference to sit separately, Dr.
Rodman asked his neighbor to exchange seats. That person refused. Dr. Rodman
then asked his other neighbor to exchange. That person agreed. again
stated that really preferred aisle seat. She reported that Dr. Rodman’s
expression changed and that he said in an aggressive way, "you can have my aisle
seat."

felt had no choice but to sit next to Dr. Rodman. During the flight, Dr.
Rodman took off his sandals and exposed his bare feet. He asked to get a
drink during the plane’s layover, responded that did not drink alcohol in the
middle of the day. reported that he again appeared to become hostile and insisted
that could get an iced tea. felt had no choice but to agree. Dr. Rodman
acknowledges asking to sit next to him on the airplane and join him for
drinks during the plane’s layover. He remembers paying for their drinks.

COMPLAINTs ABOUT DR. RODMAN’S BEHAVIOR

FROM’

The Communication Studies Department received and responded to the following

complaints about Dr. Rodman’s behavior:

November 2009: Several female graduate students complained to Director of Graduate

Studies Mary Vavrus and Department Chair Ed Schiappa that Dr. Rodman pressured
them to attend happy hours, inappropriately text messaged students about non-academic
matters and generally communicated with students in a nonprofessional manner, Dr.
Schiappa met with Dr. Rodman regarding the graduate students’ concerns. Dr. Vavrus
spoke informally with Dr. Rodman about students’ perception that their grades might
suffer unless they spent social time with him.
In or Around February 2011: and another graduate student
complained to Dr. Vavrus that Dr. Rodman was pressuring them to take his courses, Dr.
Vavrus advised Dr. Rodman to stop this behavior.

September 2011: - complained to faculty advisor and Dr. Schiappa about

numerous unwelcome interactions with Dr. Rodman, including his repeated "fist
bumping" with Dr. Schiappa met with Dr. Rodman regarding the complaint. Dr.
Rodman wrote a letter of apology to Dr. Schiappa sent a report of the
complaint and its resolution to College of Liberal Arts Human Resources. Dr. Vavrus
and advisor met with Dr. Rodman to discuss complaint and share
concerns that he had inappropriately asked students to spend social time with him, take
his courses and interact with him on Facebook. Dr. Vavrus later told Dr. Rodman that
multiple graduate students had complained about his behavior, and advised him to lessen
his personal relationships with graduate students.

Several graduate students reported that Dr. Rodman’ s concerning behaviors

appeared to abate after he received graduate students’ complaints in 2009 and 2011.
reported that Dr. Rodman has since ceased interacting with except for necessary
professional interactions.

March 2013: complained to Department Chair Ron Greene that Dr. Rodman
had engaged in sexually harassing behaviors. Dr. Greene met with Dr. Rodman
regarding the complaint. Dr. Rodman wrote a responsive memorandum apologizing for
the effect of his behavior on and for some instances of poor judgment, and
stating that he never intended to cause discomfort. At request, Dr.
Greene wrote a letter stating that the behaviors complained about were consistent
with sexual harassment, and asking Dr. Rodman to attend a sexual harassment training.

CONFLICTING PERSPECTIVES

Dr. Rodman’ s perception of his interactions with and

graduate students differs significantly from their perceptions.

Perspectives

From ) perspective, Dr. Rodman understood that - did not

want a personal or social relationship with him. believe that Dr. Rodman
intentionally and repeatedly invaded their personal space, used his professional status to
pressure them to take his classes or spend social time with him, and made unwelcome
comments and inquiries, reported that Dr. Rodrnan’s unwelcome social requests
and other behaviors became more frequent and aggressive after - expressed that
did not want to spend time with him. each reported feeling
powerless to stop Dr. Rodman’s unwelcome behaviors.

each mentioned that Dr. Rodman’s facial expression and posture

became hostile and aggressive when attempted to decline his unwelcome social
invitations or disengage from uncomfortable conversation, both perceived that Dr.

10
Rodman intended to provoke and make feel uncomfortable, and appeared to
enjoy watching discomfort. experienced Dr. Rodman’s
apparent disregard of wishes and invasion of personal space as humiliating,
confusing and sometimes frightening.

Dr. Rodman’s Perspective

Dr. Rodman’s Perspective On His Interactions With

Dr. Rodman expressed that he did not intend to make

uncomfortable. He stated that he was unaware that his interactions were unwelcome, and
is embarrassed and sorry to learn that his attempts at friendship were interpreted as
inappropriate and harassing. He stated that his social invitations to were fairly
widely spaced apart, and that he assumed did not socialize more only because of
busy schedules. Even in retrospect, Dr. Rodman could point to only one instance in
which he felt that attempted to disengage or discourage interactions
with him.’ He states that he would have immediately ceased his social invitations and
conversations had he understood. that - were unwelcome.

Dr. Rodman believed that he had formed friendships with prior to

receiving their complaints. He noted that asked him to be a reference when
adopted a dog, and that had spoken with him about relationship with .. brother.
Where saw inappropriately personal inquiries, Dr. Rodman saw the mutual
exchange of personal information common between friends. Dr. Rodman explains that
he has a goofy sense of humor and enjoys playful teasing, banter and running jokes with
friends. He now understands that he misread receptiveness to
these attempts at friendship. He is concerned that he has repeatedly missed social cues
and wants to break this pattern.

Dr. Rodman’ s P .pctive On His Interactions With Graduate Students

Dr. Rodman described himself as a relatively informal professor who is open to

developing social and personal relationships with graduate students. He reported that he
is aware of the power dynamic inherent in his relationships with graduate students, and
that he does not expect to develop personal relationships with all graduate students. He
acknowledged that "the social and professional often blur" in these relationships.
However, he believes that a more formal professorial style could result in unnecessary
barriers to communication.

Dr. Rodman reported that he changed his behavior after learning of graduate
students’ concerns in 2009 and 2011. He stopped initiating Facebook friend requests and
limited Facebook communications with graduate students. He continues to invite his
graduate seminar students to happy hour events after class, but emphasizes that the
meetings are optional and not part of the course. He reports that he stopped specifically

Dr. Rodman reported that he perceived that did not want to accept his invitation to get a
beer in February or March 2013, shortly before complained about him to Dr. Greene,

11
asking students to take his courses, and only makes general inquiries into their course
plans. He reports attempting to become "more circumspect about how he engages with
students socially" without "becoming an aloof you cannot talk to me unless we are in my
office sort of professor."

EFFECTS OF DR. RODMAN’S BEHAVIOR ON

GRADUATE STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNICATION _STUDIES DEPARTMENT

Dr. Rodrnan’s behavior has had a significant negative impact on graduate

10
students and the Communication Studies Department.

After initially socializing with Dr. Rodman upon arrival in Minneapolis in June 2011,
attempted to limit their personal and professional contact. avoided working
in )ffice when possible, and scheduled office hours strategically to avoid Dr.
Rodman, avoided attending Departmental functions and the Wednesday noon
research series run by Dr. Rodman, despite its important role in the Department.
moved r in part to avoid unplanned meetings with Dr. Rodman.

Effects On Graduate Students

A number of graduate students have avoided Dr. Rodman’s courses, the

Wednesday noon research presentations, the Department’s floor and common spaces,
and/or certain off-campus locations that Dr. Rodman frequents. Some graduate
students perceived that the Department failed to appropriately address their concerns
about Dr. Rodman’ s behavior. As a result, they created an informal sexual harassment
liaison position filled by one graduate student each year. A key duty of the liaison has
been to warn incoming graduate students to avoid social contact with Dr.
Rodman.

Effects On The Department

Due to graduate students’ complaints about Dr. Rodman, the Department has
ceased assigning incoming graduate students to be his advisees. This raises a
potential gender discrimination concern for the Department, which must provide equal
access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to
gender. Incoming graduate students who share Dr. Rodman’ s research interests
may be disadvantaged by not being assigned as his advisee, in contrast to similar male
students. Moreover, the Department’s decision not to assign incoming graduate
students as Dr. Rodman’s advisees has resulted in the other media studies professors
bearing a disproportionately large share of advising duties.

For confidentiality reasons, the significant personal effects of Dr. Rod -man’s behavior on
Department members have not been included.

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 ilRLDJ
This Office finds that Dr. Rodman violated the University’s Sexual Harassment and
Equity, Diversity, Equal Opportunity and 4/firmative Action policies by engaging in
unwelcome verbal and physical conduct of a sexual and/or discriminatory nature. This
conduct unreasonably interfered with graduate
students’ work and academic performance. It also created an intimidating, hostile and
offensive academic environment.

This Office is unable to conclusively determine whether (or to what extent) Dr. Rodman
intended to engage in unwelcome or harassing behaviors with
graduate students. However, the Department warned Dr. Rodman about his overly
familiar interactions and repeated requests to spend social and academic time with
in 2009 and 2011. Given these prior warnings, Dr. Rodman’s
assertion that he was completely unaware that might experience these same
warned-of behaviors as unwelcome and harassing is less credible. Moreover, Dr.
Rodman’s written responses to students who declined his drink invitations (described on
page 3) and did not take his courses (described on page 7) indicate that he was aware that
these students did not want to interact with him, but that he continued to pressure them
nonetheless.

Regardless whether Dr. Rodman intended his unwelcome conduct, his following patterns
of behavior demonstrate a significant lack of judgment warranting responsive action:

Dr. Rodman has repeatedly used his status as a tenured faculty member to spend
social time and develop personal relationships with subordinate women, including
graduate students, graduate student and faculty candidates, and at least one
undergraduate student. Dr. Rodman failed to adequately consider the coercive
potential inherent in these relationships, or how such personal relationships could
create inappropriate expectations or perceptions of favoritism.

Dr. Rodman has repeatedly failed to understand and abide by subordinate women’s
expressions that they: (1) did not want a personal relationship; (2) did not want to
spend social time; (3) did not want to take his courses; (4) did not want to be touched;
(5) did not want to share inside or sexual jokes; (6) did not want to share personal
information; and, in some cases, (7) did not want any contact at all. Dr. Rodman has
been either unable or unwilling to read and respect the critical social cues that govern
successful workplace relationships.

The deeply negative impact of Dr. Rodman’ s undisputed behaviors on’ graduate
students and the Department is alone sufficient to constitute a violation of the
University’s anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies. Dr. Rodman’s
continuation of this conduct despite several warnings by the Department indicates that
serious responsive action is necessary to prevent further occurrences of unwelcome and
harassing conduct."

This Office has sent its recommendations for responsive action to Dean Duvall.
As you know, retaliation against any individual for participating in our Office’s
investigative process is prohibited. If you have any questions or concerns about this
letter or any other EOAA issue, please let us know.

Sincerely,

1L
Kimberly D. Hewitt, Director
Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action

Tina Marisam, Associate to the Director

Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action

cc: Dean Raymond Duvall

Dr, Ronald Greene
Dr. Mary Vavrus
Ms. Lisa Bachman
Ms. Sue Schultz

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