Final Investigative Report Michigan State University Office of Institutional Equity Date: January 7, 2019 Re: I Rebecca Gill (#182-2018) and William Jacoby Background On January 11, 2018, the Of?ce of Institutional Equity at Michigan State University (?University") received an anonymous report stating that, about ?ve or six years ago, Professor William Jacoby (?Respondent?) asked a then graduate student, ?What are you going to do for/give me?? after she had asked Respondent for academic advice on her dissertation project. Claimant_ was contacted by OIE after she made an anonymous post about her experience with Respondent and was informed about the existence of a report. OIE asked Claimant_ if she wanted to participate in this investigation. Claimant - agreed to participate and decided to provide a statement to OIE. On January 18, 2018, Valerie Sulfaro Sulfaro?), a former student of Respondent at the University of South Carolina, sent a letter to OIE requesting that MSU re-open an investigation of Respondents alleged sexual harassment of a former MSU student named Rebecca Gill (?Claimant Gill?). Dr. Sulfaro?s letter also stated that she had ?additional information to offer" based on her own experiences with Respondent that supported Claimant Gill's allegations. On January 30, 2018, OIE contacted Claimant Gill to discuss the allegations brought forward by Dr. Sulfaro. According to Claimant Gill, Respondent sexually harassed her in the summer of 2002.1 Claimant Gill further alleged that Respondent had recently authored a letter, published on the Political Science Rumors website, in which he denied Claimant Gill?s allegations of sexual harassment that she publicly discussed during the 2018 Southern Political Science Association Conference (?the Conference?). Claimant Gill alleged that Respondent?s letter and subsequent actions were a form of retaliation against her. The University commenced an investigation into these alleged violations of the- University Policy on Sexual Harassment 2 and of its current Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy?). lssue(s l. Whether Respondent engaged in conduct that subjected Claimant to sexual harassment in violation of the - University Policy on Sexual Harassment. ll. Whether Respondent engaged in conduct that subjected Claimant Gill to retaliation in violation of section of the RVSM Policy. An allegation of sexual harassment that occurred in 2002 was reported to the University involving Respondent and Claimant Gill. After interviewing Claimant Gill, it was determined that jurisdiction (id not exist at MSU, but rather the University of Michigan. OIE contacted the University of Michigan Of?ce of Institutional Equity and transferred the report and information to that institution. The matter was closed with MSU. 2 The allegations involving Claimant_ occurred in- The investigation must apply the standards set forth in the Policy as written at that time. Summam of Aiter Investigation and review oi the available evidence, OIE has detennined by a preponderance oi the evidence that Respondent sexually harassed Claiman then a graduate student in the MSU Department oi Political Scienoe, in violation of the - University Policy on Sexual Harassment Specmcally, OIE round that in - Respondent propositioned Claimant tor sexual iavors in exchange tor his academic guidance regarding her research and paper, This behavior constitutes sexual harassment, as Respondent made ctaimant_ submission to his proposition a term or condnion at an academic activity, Respondent's conduct was also severe and pervasive enough to unreasonaon interfere with her education and create a hostile environment foi her at the University In the case 0' Clalmant Gill, OIE Iound the evldence insufficient to determlne that Respondent engaged in acts oi retaliation against her through the alleged letters, denials, and/or orchestration oi a whispering campaign The - University Policy on Sexual Harassment, which existed at the time oi the alleged incident involving ctaimant_ applied to the University community faculty. staii, and students in several contexts, including conduct that occurred on.campus Claiman was an MSU student and Respondent was an MSU employee at the time oi the reported - incident. The conduct is alleged to have occuned on campus. For these reasons, OIE detennines that it has iurisdiction to investigation the allegations involving ctaimant_ The current RVSM Policy applies to all relationship violence, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct committed by or against a memoer oi the University community when the conduct occurs on campus, in the context University program or activity, or when there are continuing adverse eiiecls on campus or in a University program or activity In the case oi Claimant Gill's report oi retaliation, Respondent was an MSU employee at the time oithe alleged retaliation against Claimant Gill The alleged conduct has caused conhnuing adverse eiiects on MSU's Political Science department by generating negative national attention to the department, Further, iacutty memoers have expressed concern that the public perception oi the department could aitect the recruitment and retention oi iaculty and students, For these reasons, OIE determines it has iurisdictron to investigate the allegations involving ctaimant Gill Invest gallon Claimant - On March 2, 2013, investigators3 Kenya Faulkner and Alexander oman, on oehati oi OIE, interviewed ("Claimant_ a iormer Msu student, regarding the report oi a sexual proposition made by Proiessor William Jacoby ("Respondent"). Claimant_ was advised of OIE process and protocol pursuant to the Relationship violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy, including investigator neutrality, the investigation process and timeline, the prohibition against retaliation, and the availability oi interim measures. She also reviewed and signed the Claimant Infcimation Form. Below is a summary oi Claimam- statements, Claimant is enrolled in a program in the Political Science Department, where the incident took place. She received her degree ctaimant_ first came in contact with Respondent in the when she was a student and took Respondent's class Claimant - described is a global investigations and risk management consulting tinn headquartered in New york, in February 2018 msu retained to assist in OIE inveslrgatrons ot alleged violations oithe RVSM poltcy