REMARKS TO FACULTY INSTITUTE
The past several weeks have been very difficult for our community.
An Emerson College professor has died.
We are struck by the poignancy of his death as we begin a new school year
and welcome new students, faculty, and staff to our community. I
acknowledge that the responses to his death have been various, both
within and outside of the Emerson College community.
The circumstances surrounding Professor Robert Todd’s death have been
much discussed, and judging by some emails I have read, misleading and
false statements have been promulgated with the sad patina of truth. These
assertions, in particular, have alarmed and disappointed me as a member
of an academic community devoted to critical thinking, sound judgment,
and discernment. While I understand the very human and innate impulse to
construct meaning out of uncommon human events, it is difficult for me to
understand the impulse to assert and facilitate unsubstantiated hearsay or
rumors without direct or corroborating knowledge.
I speak to you today in order to clarify the much discussed circumstances,
as well as shed clarifying light on actions the College took while Professor
Todd was living and after his death.

 Focused foremost on our common humanity as a virtue worth
preserving and while faced with challenging, complex, and conflicting
events, the College sought, in the immediate aftermath of Professor Todd’s
death, to provide space and time, as best we could, for those who mourned
the loss of a husband, brother, professor, mentor, son, friend, and
colleague, and to provide support to others directly affected by Professor
Todd’s life and death.
As many of you know, there have been questions and speculations about
Professor Robert Todd’s death and whether he was involved in a Title IX
investigation. I speak to you this morning with the intention of being as
transparent as possible, and dispelling misperceptions that are not based in
fact — while respecting the feelings and privacy of all those affected by his
death and events that preceded his death.
In December 2017, the College received a complaint from an Emerson staff
member alleging that Professor Todd engaged in multiple, concatenated
behaviors that might have violated the College’s Sexual Misconduct
Policy. The Title IX Office assessed the complaint ​and, as a result, brought in
an outside investigator. Based on the findings of a months-long
investigation, Professor Todd was found responsible for engaging in sexual
harassment, which is prohibited under the College’s Sexual Misconduct
Policy.
As a sanction for violating the College’s Sexual Misconduct Policy, Professor
Todd was suspended from the College without pay for the Fall 2018
semester. Additionally, he was required to work with a professional coach to
help him understand the impact of his behaviors, as well as to ensure that

 they would not occur in the future. Professor Todd’s right to appeal the
decision was abrogated by his death.
The staff member who brought the complaint has been supported by the
Healing and Advocacy Collective (formerly Violence, Prevention and
Response) and others in the College before and during the Title IX
investigation, as well as after Professor Todd’s death.
During the investigation, the chair of the VMA department and the Title IX
Office received additional third party reports about Professor Todd, which,
if true, would have indicated inappropriate behavior or possible violations
of certain provisions of the College’s Sexual Misconduct Policy. Each report
to the College was followed up, and after having interviewed those
involved, the Title IX Office assessed that there was insufficient evidence to
support additional claims that Professor Todd had violated the Sexual
Misconduct Policy.
While the college typically does not release such information, these
extraordinary circumstances, the very public nature of Professor Todd’s
death, the promulgations of falsehoods, and the continuing circulation of
rumors and speculations, compelled me to speak to you today in order to
provide an accurate and true accounting.
We continue to support the member of our community who came forward,
and we wish to make it very clear that the College will never tolerate sexual
misconduct or sexual harassment, and will act decisively should findings of
either arise.
As I said in my opening, the past several weeks have engendered a variety

 of perspectives and powerful emotions. No doubt, many of us continue to
search for resolution and meaning. This will be a process that will take time.
However, I am hopeful – even confident – that our community will meet the
challenges ahead of us with humanity, respect, and allegiance to the truth
for all those who are grieving now, those who have variously been
impacted and perhaps, equally important, for ourselves.