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Michael Beitz, a tenure-track professor of art at the University of Colorado at Boulder, resigned in May -- the same month the University of Wisconsin settled a sexual harassment lawsuit involving him for $325,000, according to the Daily Camera. The lawsuit alleged that Beitz sexually harassed a student when he was a professor at Wisconsin’s Oshkosh campus. He and the student allegedly had a consensual relationship in 2012, but Beitz abused the student and coerced her into sex after they broke up, according to her lawsuit. The student says she dropped out of the university as a result of Beitz's behavior.
Wisconsin investigated Beitz in 2015 and found that he violated its misconduct policies, and he resigned that year. He was hired two months later at Boulder. A Boulder spokesperson reportedly told the Daily Camera said the case demonstrated the need to ask former employers about any concerning behavior. Last year, Wisconsin announced it was changing its policies and going forward would disclose findings of misconduct against former employees. The student filed her lawsuit in October. Boulder said it learned of Beitz’s history at that time and put him on administrative leave. Beitz has not commented publicly on the case and could not immediately be reached for comment.
