EDITORIAL: Sexual harassment claims should be viewed as a wake-up call

Two women, Erin Shyr and Maria Currie, filed a complaint on Tuesday against Boston University professor Eric Ruske, claiming sexual harassment and a university’s inability to handle the situation.

The complaint issued in Suffolk Superior Court told a story of Ruske’s alleged inappropriate behavior toward both plaintiffs, including unwanted physical contact towards Shyr and sexually charged email and text messages sent to both women.

Ruske referred to himself as a “creepy old guy” when corresponding with Currie and referred to Shyr as “adorable” on multiple occasions, according to the complaint.

“Ruske intended his actions towards Erin, Maria, and other young, female students,” the complaint stated.

After reporting her alleged experience to BU’s administration, Shyr received a written acknowledgement from Assistant Director of Equal Opportunity Eleanor Druckman, stating that her “investigation indicated that Mr. Ruske’s conduct was inconsistent with BU’s policies.” She made no further promises beyond sending that report on to College of Fine Arts Dean Benjamin Juarez.

The two women filed two separate reports against Ruske with BU’s administration, unbeknownst to one another, according to the complaint.  Their complaints were then consolidated in May 2o15, which Shyr found “inappropriate because they were different instances of harassment.”

She brought up the issue of the combined reports to Lynne Allen, who was CFA Dean ad interim at the time, according to the complaint. Shyr claims Allen told her that she did not want to “rehash the past.”

The first takeaway from this incident is the acknowledgment of the sluggish tendency of paperwork and bureaucracy that comes with sexual assault complaints, particularly those filtering their way through the university system. Sexual assault is intrinsically an issue that deserves the utmost respect, which calls for a thorough investigation.  Though quick responses are often desired, the truth is the most important variable.

In sexual assault cases specifically, the paperwork requires exact details, which are traumatic for the victim to relive but necessary to determine the exact occurrences.  Though distressing, the detail of these reports is required to insure justice.

It is tempting to quickly jump to conclusions when presented with a large amount of seemingly corroborated facts, particularly concerning BU students. After all, we are BU students.  But it is important to understand that these are precarious proceedings and there is really no clear-cut way of interpreting this incident until all facts are unveiled.

Despite the innocent-until-proven-guilty stance, BU remains in the wrong through its initial responses to the alleged assaults, the handling of the information once it was in their possession and the accessibilities of mental health specialists on campus.

After the incidents were first reported to the administration, CFA’s Deputy Title IX Coordinator Patricia Mitro excused Ruske’s behavior because of his “vibrant and effusive” personality, saying that he may have “been unaware that he violated BU’s Title IX policies,” the complaint stated.

To dismiss what could be a legitimate claim of sexual assault as ignorance on behalf of the offender is disturbing.  One can only hope that BU did not respond to these sexual assault claims by defending the professor before first hearing out the student.

The handling of the information once it was made available to BU officials was nothing short of unprofessional. Beyond reportedly brushing the incident off as ignorance on behalf of the professor, the fact remains that both Shyr and Currie’s reports were merged into one joint report last May.

These were two separate claims filed in two separate calendar years. Yet, the administration felt the right to merge the incidents into one. If brought to court, the incidents would be examined separately, and grouping them together seems like this issue is an afterthought. This is extremely disrespectful to the parties involved.

This incident should be viewed as a wake-up call for the officials responsible for the mental health of BU students. The Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Center should be more wide reaching, and mental health professionals are viewed overall as inaccessible on campus.

Bogged down by appointments, it sometimes takes months from a first phone call to even sit on the couch of a mental health professional on campus. The options are limited and the offerings are discriminatory.

Boston University has the opportunity to set an example by properly handling what could turn into a defining issue of our generation. The responsibility is the university’s and it’s on them to get this right. This case is an opportunity to make the handling of sexual assault on campus a priority.