Travis Pratt, a fellow at University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute whose widely published research on the connection between risky behaviors and crime, was fired from his teaching position at Arizona State University for having an intimate relationship with a female graduate student, or, rather, for withholding this information from the relevant supervisors. Pratt was dismissed on Valentine’s Day 2014, officially for violating the university’s amorous relationship policy, his dismissal documents show. Despite being married, Pratt has a history of this behavior, and in 2012 he faced a federal lawsuit by another female ASU graduate student that was ultimately settled out of court before going to trial. Pratt has denied all allegations.
In January 2015, Thomas Bloomberg, dean of FSU’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, made the offer to Pratt, to which he accepted. This included a nine-month visiting faculty position at FSU beginning in August of 2015 for a salary of $105,000. Oddly enough, a background check was part of the approval process, of which either Pratt was cleared of or the background check was ignored.
It was not until the Tallahassee Democrat became involved, that Pratt would lose this offer. The Democrat sent an email to Bloomberg concerning his knowledge of Pratt’s recent history and fall from grace at ASU. The following day, Bloomberg claims to have verbally told Pratt that the job was no longer available to him. Officials at FSU claim that Pratt’s credentials and background were currently in the process of being reviewed.
"Travis Pratt is not an employee of Florida State University and will not be," Blomberg stated in an email to the Democrat. "His employment offer was contingent upon the completion of a full background check. That review provided new information to the university that revealed a more complete account of his employment record and cause for termination at Arizona State University in 2014."
A faculty collective-bargaining agreement dictates faculty-student relationships at FSU. The current iteration of the agreement, most recently updated in 2013, states that sexual relationships between faculty members and students under their direct supervision or evaluation are "fraught with the potential for exploitation." The agreement requires relevant relationships to be disclosed with any supervisors above the faculty member in question and that any supervision or mentoring being of the student by the faculty member to be terminated.
This entire ordeal raises a few questions about the hiring process within not only FSU, but public universities across the country. Are background checks being thoroughly reviewed by academic boards or are wayward professors slipping through the cracks? Just recently an 18-year faculty member was relieved for her racist and homophobic facebook comments. Are these wayward professors being discriminated against or are the termination of their careers due to policy infractions just?
-Bryan Díaz, Writer
Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice recently rescinded an offer made to a potential visiting professor on the basis of behavior and disciplinary action conducted at his former institution following an inappropriate relationship with a student. The revocation made by the University was made a day after the Tallahassee Democrat inquired about the professor’s past allegations and why he was still given the position. |
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