1. The former NYU graduate student has sued both NYU and Professor Ronell in connection with his sexual harassment allegations. The complaint is here, although I have not had an opportunity to review it. (ADDENDUM: Paragraphs 14-22 give a summary of the main allegations.)
2. A New York lawyer, who is friends with the plaintiff's attorney, reports that at the time the now infamous Butler letter was circulated for signatures NYU had already found Ronell guilty of sexual harassment, and the only question was the punishment.
3. Prof. Ronell has issued a statement denying all of the plaintiff's allegations. I am not sure this statement helps her case. First, the statement acknowledges that at the very same time that the plaintiff was sending affectionate-sounding e-mails to Prof. Ronell he was describing her to others as a "monster." That would seem to support the plaintiff's account that he felt pressured into behaving as Ronell wanted him to behave. Second, the statement effectively offers an explanation for why the plaintiff did not file a Title IX complaint with NYU right away: namely, that he was trying to secure a job. Having failed to do so, he no longer had any reason to take a "hands-off" approach to the harassment he had endured.
As an amusing aside, the statement appears at a website set up by Robert Craig Baum, a Ronell devotee and protege. Several days ago, before the NYT story appeared, I received the following e-mail from Mr. Baum from his gmail address:
If you are interested to move to the front of the line for an exclusive interview with Avital Ronell, please let me know so I can arrange the Q&A in writing.
Warmly,
Robert Craig Baum
Publicist
Mr. Baum was apparently not aware that actual publicists have work e-mails and don't type out "publicist" to prove their bona fides. A little research revealed who he was, so I simply let this pass in silence.
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