The Juilliard School has fired a composition professor accused of sexually harassing college students after an impartial investigation discovered “credible proof” that he had engaged in misconduct, the college mentioned in a letter to college students, employees, college and alumni on Thursday.
Juilliard mentioned the professor, Robert Beaser, 69, who served as chair of the composition division from 1994 to 2018, had behaved in a fashion that was “inconsistent with Juilliard’s dedication to offer a secure and supportive studying setting for its college students.” The faculty didn’t elaborate, saying solely that the investigation had discovered proof of a previous “unreported relationship” and that Beaser had “repeatedly misrepresented information about his actions.”
Richard C. Schoenstein, a lawyer for Beaser, denied that his shopper had misled his employer. He mentioned the connection in query came about three many years in the past, had been identified to Juilliard since then and had been the topic of earlier inquiries. He referred to as the college’s findings “unspecific and unattributed” and mentioned that Beaser would “pursue his authorized rights in full.”
“Dr. Beaser is shocked and dismayed by Juilliard’s conclusions and actions,” Schoenstein mentioned.
The inquiry was ordered after an investigation in December 2022 by VAN, a classical music journal, that detailed accusations towards Beaser and different Juilliard composition academics. VAN, citing interviews with unnamed former college students, mentioned that Beaser had made undesirable advances towards college students and engaged in sexual relationships with them.
The accusations prompted an outcry amongst college students, college and alumni, in addition to distinguished composers and musicians. Juilliard positioned Beaser on paid depart in the course of the inquiry.
Juilliard mentioned that it had additionally seemed into complaints towards Christopher Rouse, one other professor named within the VAN investigation. While the college decided that these allegations had been additionally credible, it mentioned that the complaints couldn’t be totally investigated as a result of Rouse had died in 2019.
In the letter on Thursday, Juilliard mentioned directors had beforehand investigated a few of these accusations of sexual misconduct within the late Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s, and once more within the 2017-18 tutorial yr. These investigations “had been dealt with primarily based on their understanding of the knowledge supplied at that time,” in accordance with the college.
Juilliard mentioned it had ordered the most recent inquiry due to new data in news stories, and that the investigation had decided that “some college students, particularly ladies, skilled an setting within the division that didn’t stay as much as the college’s values and expectations.”
Juilliard’s leaders mentioned they had been “dismayed by the adverse affect” the occasions had on college students on the time. They vowed to strengthen oversight, with measures together with banning all sexual relationships between college students and professors, starting this fall. While professors have lengthy been barred from having romantic relationships with undergraduates, the college has generally made exceptions for relationships between college members and graduate college students.
Juilliard mentioned it will additionally search to make clear channels for reporting harassment and bias.
“Juilliard is dedicated to offering a secure, supportive and welcoming setting for all members of our college group, and to addressing considerations previous and current,” the letter mentioned. “No type of discrimination or harassment is tolerated, and we take all allegations reported to us significantly.”
Content Source: www.nytimes.com