Handling Harassment

In April, the Business School disciplined six male M.B.A. candidates for "a pattern of behavior...that ranged from the writing and passing of harassing notes, often with forged signatures, and 'top ten lists' with inappropriate and explicit sexual content, to inappropriate and unwelcome physical contact and violations of the privacy of peers...." The specific events, which occurred during a first-year section of the 1996-1997 academic year, were not formally reported by the victims, principally female students, until that spring, and the school's investigation was then slowed by changes in its Faculty and Staff Standards Committee's procedures. In a letter to the community this April, Dean Kim B. Clark apologized because "bringing the situation...to closure has taken us far too long." All the offenders were ordered to perform community service and to undergo counseling, and some were prohibited from attending graduation, although they received their degrees.

On May 18, Clark announced a series of measures aimed at curbing improper behavior and speeding action if violations recur. One initiative involves educating "faculty on their responsibilities in the classroom," so they "understand how their own behavior influences the learning environment, how to deal with the wide range of issues that may arise, including recognizing situations that violate our standards, and how to intervene effectively at an early stage." Comparable changes are now being planned for students, through an enhanced M.B.A. curriculum. And the school's disciplinary procedures have been tightened.

In a school-wide e-mail, Clark wrote, "I want to highlight today the most serious violations of our standards and the sanctions that apply to them. These violations include violence, or the threat of violence; harassment, including (but not limited to) sexual harassment; cheating; plagiarism; felonies committed before entrance into, or while enrolled or employed at, the School; and fraud, including admissions fraud. Due process will prevail in all cases brought before the Community Standards Panel and sanctions--ranging from suspension for varying periods of time to expulsion--will match the severity of the offense. But the important point is that the actions listed above have no place--none--at Harvard Business School."