Campus blues: QAU student accuses supervisor of sexual harassment

VC says action will be taken once inquiry is complete.

ISLAMABAD:

A student at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) has accused her professor of sexual harassment- the third such incident in two years.

An investigation committee has been charged to investigate the issue, but the student’s request to change her supervisor has not been entertained.

According to sources, an assistant professor of the anthropology department offered to favour the student by giving her excess marks and help her with research. The student in question revealed that he has been offering such favours to others as well. The victim said that the professor first suggests the student choose him as supervisor and it was the same in her case. The professor had offered other incentives like offers for shopping and would suggest she come to his office for help in presentations and research at 5pm and that too alone.

“One day he invited me to his office and started making sexual advances and tried to touch me. I left the office and registered a complaint with the head of department (HoD) the next day, requesting him to change the supervisor,” she said. The professor who was previously very cooperative became vindictive after the application was filed and accused the student of plagiarising her thesis during viva.



The HoD forwarded the application to the vice chancellor (VC) and a three-member committee was constituted to look into the case. The accused, the victim and other professors have been  interviewed and further investigation is underway. Two professors were earlier sent on forced retirement in July 2011 on the same grounds.

Students told The Express Tribune that upon hearing the student’s complaint, some girls have abandoned their research, refusing to work with the supervisor.The HoD said investigation was underway and he could not comment on the issue when approached for comments.

The QAU administration had removed two professors in July 2011, the controller examinations was sent packing for a molestation attempt and an information technology professor was forcibly retired on account of sexual harassment.

When contacted, the accused professor said he was not in a position to comment on the issue and he would consult his lawyer.

The QAU VC said his varsity was the first in the country which had formed a committee approved by the syndicate to look into harassment complaints. “I forwarded the application as soon as I received it . We will take further action once the inquiry is completed,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.