Professor On S/M Site Is Cleared
Posted on: Monday, 17 March 2008, 15:00 CDT
By MARTIN SALAZAR Journal Staff Writer
A University of New Mexico administrator has determined that a faculty member who posed on a sadomasochism Web site with a graduate student should not face a faculty ethics inquiry.
In a March 10 letter to English department faculty, Deputy Provost Richard Holder said he thinks associate professor Lisa Chvez used poor judgment in participating in the Web site's activities with one of her students.
But, Holder goes on to say, "In my mind this participation did not rise to the level of calling into question her 'unfitness for duty.' ''
Chvez, who teaches creative writing in UNM's English department, has been on sabbatical this semester. The Journal was unable to reach her for comment.
Holder's decision isn't sitting well with some English department faculty members, 13 of whom had signed a petition calling for the Faculty Senate Ethics and Advisory Committee to review Chvez's conduct. The petition expressed "serious ethical questions" about Chvez posing with a graduate student who was enrolled in one of her classes at the time.
"It's not a faculty rights issue, I don't think. It's not an academic freedom issue. It is a faculty conduct issue," professor Gary Scharnhorst said. "I believe that she crossed the line having inappropriate relationships with graduate students."
Scharnhorst said none of his colleagues are angry that she posed on the Web site.
"What everyone finds troublesome is the fact that she was involved with graduate students," he said.
Anita Obermeier, another English department faculty member, said the issue has pulled the department apart. She said Holder's decision not to refer the matter to the faculty ethics committee "was a huge slap in the face."
Chvez had been moonlighting for People Exchanging Power, a group based in Albuquerque that advertises conversation for cash. The group specializes in fetish exploration.
The issue came to UNM President David Schmidly's attention in October, prompting him to hire an outside attorney to investigate.
The investigation determined that "no crimes were committed, that no faculty member engaged in undue influence over any students or created a hostile learning environment, and that there was apparently no use of University-owned computers or telephone equipment."
Broadcast and newspaper stories followed, and Schmidly issued a statement that he remained concerned about ethical issues and wanted to protect the learning environment of the university.
Holder's letter provides new details about what transpired.
"The investigation revealed that the PEP website involvement of two graduate students preceded the involvement of Professor Chvez, and that both she and a third graduate student learned of the PEP website from the graduate students whose involvement preceded their own," Holder states.
"All four of these adult women reported that their activities were consensual, and all disclaimed any recruitment, solicitation, or coercion."
Holder said faculty members are free to appeal his decision to the provost.
(c) 2008 Albuquerque Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Albuquerque Journal
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