Hebrew University
Hebrew University – Fires Eyal Ben-Ari for Improper
Relations with Students
The Tenured Academic
was canned in an almost unprecedented fashion. Same professor
supervised the thesis that claimed that
the absence of rape of Arabs by Jewish soldiers proves Jews are
racists.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem yesterday
announced it was dismissing a professor and permanently banning him
from acting as an adviser to its students, after he was found to
have had an improper relationship with three female students.
In February, the university's disciplinary
tribunal suspended Prof. Eyal Ben-Ari for two years after it ruled
he had acted in a manner "unbecoming a faculty member."
However, the university appealed the ruling,
seeking a harsher finding. The tribunal found that that Ben-Ari, a
senior lecturer in sociology and anthropology, had taken advantage
of his position to have intimate relations with one of the students,
and in suggesting to two others that they share a room when they
were abroad together.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/professor-fired-for-improper-relations-with-three-students-1.376264
Professor fired for improper relations with
three students
Eyal Ben-Ari was suspended for two years, but Hebrew University
appealed.
By Asaf Shtull-Trauring
Published 01.08.11
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem yesterday announced
it was dismissing a professor and permanently banning him from
acting as an adviser to its students, after he was found to have had
an improper relationship with three female students.
In February, the university's disciplinary tribunal
suspended Prof. Eyal Ben-Ari for two years after it ruled he had
acted in a manner "unbecoming a faculty member."
However, the university appealed the ruling, seeking a
harsher finding. The tribunal found that that Ben-Ari, a senior
lecturer in sociology and anthropology, had taken advantage of his
position to have intimate relations with one of the students, and in
suggesting to two others that they share a room when they were
abroad together.
It also ruled he had impaired the professional
credibility of two of the students, as well as the credibility of
the university, after he agreed to act as adviser on their doctoral
theses despite his close relationship with them.
In two other cases he was found not to have acted
improperly.
Ben-Ari's attorneys said that the fact that Ben-Ari was
not found to have sexually harassed the students was cause to
absolve him of the other charges.
However, the university said that the reason the
tribunal's finding did not discuss charges of sexual harassment is
that the acts were committed before the law against sexual
harassment was passed.
The tribunal said it had decided to impose a more severe
penalty on Ben-Ari because "the message might be conveyed that the
university is lenient toward faculty who have done wrong and is
prepared to turn a blind eye to serious harm to students."
The affair first surfaced three years ago, when an
anonymous police complaint was lodged against Ben-Ari by students.
Following an investigation, the State Prosecutor's Office decided to
close the case for lack of evidence and due to the statute of
limitations. Two years ago, internal disciplinary action was
launched against Ben-Ari, with some of the complainants this time
willing to come forward and testify.
Ben-Ari's attorneys, Reuben Bar-Haim and Mira Beit-On
Amsallem, said in a statement: "Prof. Eyal Ben-Ari was exonerated
following a prolonged disciplinary proceeding from most of the acts
attributed to him, as well as from all sexual harassment offenses
attributed to him. The decision of the university's disciplinary
tribunal of appeals led to Prof. Ben-Ari paying a very heavy
personal and economic price merely because of consensual romantic
advances. We retain the right to approach an external court to
examine the conduct of the university."
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