Faculty-disciplinary proceedings, which often involve lengthy hearings on charges that can take months to resolve, are on a collision course with colleges’ efforts to quickly and forcefully deal with tenured professors accused of sexual harassment. Exhibit A in the clash is the University of California at Berkeley. The university has already announced a number of changes in its programs and processes in the wake of a controversy over how it has handled several high-profile cases of harassment allegations. In the case of a famous astronomer, for example, Berkeley was criticized for a weak response when it warned him that if he harassed others he would be suspended rather than dismissed. In their explanation, administrators expressed frustration with the limits they face in disciplining faculty members.

April 7, 2016 ・ From Chronicle of Higher Education