I have been sent a copy of Northwestern's answer to the Title IX lawsuit noted earlier. (Filings in lawsuits like this are public documents.) Note that the admissions in the lawsuit represent Northwestern's position, not Professor Ludlow's. According to the answer:
1. Northwestern admits that it "substantiated some, but not all, of [the plaintiff's allegations against Ludlow]; found that Ludlow had violated the University's policy against sexual harassment; and imposed several disciplinary sanctions and other corrective actions against Ludlow." More on each of these, below.
2. The allegations that Northwestern admits finding include that "Plaintiff e-mailed Ludlow information regarding an art event in Chicago, informed him that she was planning to attend, and suggested that he should attend as well"; that "Plaintiff and Ludlow drove in Ludlow's car to Chicago and attended one or more art exhibits"; that "Plaintiff and Ludlow went to a restaurant at which either Plaintiff or Ludlow ordered Plaintiff an alcoholic beverage"; that "either Plaintiff or Ludlow ordered Plaintiff alcoholic beverages during the course of the evening"; that "Ludlow and Plaintiff visited Ludlow's apartment during the course of the evening"; that "Ludlow engaged in unwelcome and inappropriate sexual advances towards Plaintiff by initiating rubbing her back and kissing her"; and that "Plaintiff woke up in Ludlow's bed at approximately 4:30 am with Ludlow's arms around her". Northwestern "did not find that Ludlow groped Plaintiff's breast and buttocks." Northwestern's answers omits any mention of a finding of sexual assault, just a violation of the sexual harassment policy.
3. The investigation, conducted by Joan Slavin, Director of Sexual Harassment Prevention at Northwestern, involved review of "documents and other information" (e.g., e-mails, I infer) and interviewing "Plaintiff, Ludlow, and several other witnesses."
4. Northwestern admits it "imposed...disciplinary sanctions and corrective action" against Ludlow including, for example, "precluding him from receiving a raise for the 2012-13 academic year"; "rescinding his appointment to an endowed professor position"; "requiring him to complete a multi-session, individualized sensitivity/harassment-prevention training program with an outside consultant"; "directing him not to have any contact, whether in person or by any other means [including social media], with Plaintiff"; and "officially warning him that any similar behavior in the future or failure to comply with specified disciplinary sanctions or other corrective actions would subject him to further sanctions, up to and including separation from the faculty."
5. Northwestern "denies that any University committee ever determined that Ludlow should be terminated or that the University ever ignored such a decision or recommendation." Northwestern also admits that "Ludlow appealed the multiple disciplinary sanctions" and "that a six-person faculty Committee on Cause unanimously approved the disciplinary sanctions...and that the Committee on Cause could have suggested additional sanctions against Ludlow but did not do so."
Northwestern's admissions do not bind Ludlow and may, in fact, be denied by Ludlow in whole or in part. I will post any additional statement I receive from Ms. Case, Professor Ludlow's attorney, regarding Northwestern's answer.
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