Alan Tansman Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Investigation

The Daily Californian, U.C. Berkeley’s school newspaper, reports that Professor Alan Tansman was suspended by the university after a Title IX investigation found that he had violated the university’s policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The Title IX investigation delved into allegations by a former doctoral student and postdoc of Professor Tansman who said that he created a hostile working environment with the sexual comments he would make. The investigation also uncovered 5 other witnesses who said that Alan Tansman repeatedly flirted with or sexually harassed them, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The SF Chronicle reports that Tansman’s two-year suspension will cost the professor a year of income, amounting to over $190,000, and he will be forced to forfeit sabbatical credits he hasn’t already cashed in. The problem is, according to the Chronicle, that he was already granted a sabbatical for the second year, so he will receive full pay.

His former postdoc was appalled, reports the SF Chronicle. She said:

He was able to broker a devil’s deal. It’s an affront to anyone who reports sexual harassment.

Many don’t see the punishment as severe enough when the university’s own report concluded that Professor Tansman’s “conduct of a sexual nature” was “sufficiently severe that it created a hostile environment” for his female student, which interfered with her work and studies. For example, one student senator said:

A brief, partially-paid suspension is not justice for the survivors impacted by Professor Tansman’s abuse— fractional justice isn’t justice at all.