Update regarding sexual misconduct investigation
July 8, 2022
Dear Columbia faculty, staff, and students,
I am writing to update you on the investigation that Columbia launched this past February into allegations of sexual misconduct made against Sam Weller, associate professor of English and Creative Writing. As you may recall, we retained Mayer Brown LLP, a law firm in Chicago with extensive experience in sexual misconduct cases, to conduct the investigation as well as review our Title IX and HR processes.
Based on Mayer Brown’s findings that Professor Weller engaged in conduct that violated the college’s sexual harassment and other policies, Provost Marcella David concluded that the conduct warranted termination. In accordance with the college’s process for termination of tenured faculty, Professor Weller was issued a Notice of Dismissal today, July 8.
The review by Mayer Brown identified areas for improvement in the college’s handling of sexual misconduct and related allegations, especially in terms of information-sharing and coordination among academic departments and administrative units. Guided by our commitment to fostering a safe and secure community, moving forward we are focused on the following:
- Strengthening our ability to respond to allegations: We will leverage outside expertise to guide changes in structure, policies, and process. We are exploring the possibility of centralizing key functions that deal with Title IX, sexual harassment, discrimination, and related issues. And we will continue to increase our internal capabilities by hiring specialists to fill critical positions in these areas, further improving our ability to respond to such allegations.
- Strengthening training: We will provide enhanced coaching and training for academic departments and administrative units regarding the handling of sexual misconduct and related allegations. In particular, we will seek to strengthen individual and community awareness of the obligations of those designated as “mandatory reporters” under Columbia’s Title IX policy.
- Building/Increasing awareness and access: We will work to more clearly define key policies, debunk common myths, provide information on reporting, and boost awareness of the Title IX office and its important role. The goal is to help prevent policy violations and to facilitate improved individual and institutional responses when required.
The college is committed to creating an educational environment that rejects sexual misconduct, provides clear pathways for reporting violations, and emphasizes ongoing education on such matters. If future misconduct occurs, we are committed to responding swiftly and decisively, while supporting those impacted in our community.
I urge all members of our community to assist us in these efforts by embracing a culture that refuses to tolerate sexual misconduct in any form.
Information and resources regarding Columbia’s Title IX and anti-discrimination and harassment policies can be found here.
Sincerely,
Kwang-Wu Kim
President and CEO