Asking undergraduates to dress up as sex slaves and escorts in a skit as a part of lecture on prostitution has put a Colorado professor in a fix.
The officials at University of Colorado, Boulder, told sociology professor Patti Adler to resign after she conducted a lecture on prostitution in the popular course, 'Deviance in U.S. Society'. She told the students to dress as prostitutes for a skit where they speak to an interviewer.
Steven Leigh, dean of CU's College of Arts and Sciences, told the Associated Press that the only thing that bothered him was students being photographed or filmed without their consent during the skit.
Provost Russell Moore said that some students may have "felt there would be negative consequences for anyone who refused to participate in the skit," he the University in an email. He further stated that CU's academic freedom does not shield anyone who "violates the university's sexual harassment policy by creating a hostile environment for their teaching assistants, or for their students attending the class."
But Adler has a different version. She said that all the students were aware about being either filmed or photographed. They also asked for copies of the videotapes.
However, Moore said that he received complains about the particular lecture from more than one student, the Daily Camera reported.
According to the Camera, the University officials told her to take voluntary retirement or have her course reviewed by the sociology department. She has been in the profession for 26 years. Although, Adler has not taken a decision so far, the daily reported.
The course, 'Deviance in U.S. Society,' has over 500 registered students for the current term. No university officials had any issues with the course until now, Adler said.
Adler, however, received massive support from the CU faculty. In a statement signed by seven University professors, the staff condemned the treatment of Adler by the University officials.
"The AAUP Colorado Conference condemns the University of Colorado's treatment of sociology professor Patti Adler as a clear violation of academic freedom and an unwarranted infringement on Professor Adler's professional obligation to choose effective instructional methods to communicate disciplinary knowledge in her classroom," the statement read.
The authorities responded to the statement saying that the faculty was not completely aware of the situation. "We are not violating academic freedom in any way," Boulder campus spokesman Mark J. Miller told the Camera. "We heard concerns from students that they felt coerced to participate in the skit and we are obliged to look into those concerns. We appreciate that AAUP cannot and does not know all of the details."
Adler has also received support from students who have created a Facebook group and an online petition.
According to a senior student, Caitlin McCluskey, no one was forced to participate in the skit. "I never felt pressured in any way," McCluskey told the Camera.