UI mired in another sex scandal

By T.M. Lindsey 8/13/08 6:04 PM

Arthur H. Miller

Yet another sex-related impropriety has surfaced at the University of Iowa. However the most recent one does not involve a student-athlete, rather a tenured political science professor.

Arthur H. Miller, 66, has been accused of demanding sexual favors from students in exchange for better grades the Press-Citizen reported. He was arrested on four counts of bribery, a class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and was released from jail early Saturday.

The complaints allege that Miller demanded four female students perform sexual favors, such as showing their breasts or allowing him to fondle them, in exchange for better grades in his class.

Moreover, Arthur was put on administrative leave while the UI Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (OEDD) continues to investigate complaints of sexual misconduct filed by the four students.

Upon receiving the initial complaint in May, OEOD immediately instructed Miller to have no contact with students while the investigation was ongoing. Miller does not teach summer sessions but will be placed on paid administrative leave effective the first day of the fall 2008 semester pursuant to university policy.

“Our primary focus right now is on ensuring the safety and security of our students and fully investigating these allegations, which we consider very serious,” UI Associate Provost Susan Johnson said in a statement.

The UI Department of Public Safety launched a separate investigation in mid-May and subsequently turned over its findings to the Johnson County Attorney’s Office, which prompted Arthurâ€™s arrest last week.

Miller, who has been a faculty member at the UI since 1985, is best known for creating the Heartland Poll in 1988, a unique political opinion poll to gather data from seven Midwestern states during election years. The poll is conducted in election years by the Iowa Social Science Institute, which Miller directs.

News of the allegations came on the heels of the arrests in May and June of two Iowa Hawkeye football players accused of sexually assaulting another student-athlete. The UIâ€™s handling of the case has come under fire by the Board of Regents and Gov. Chet Culver.

What's next?

Some Guy

"old guys are gross."

Not all of them, honey. Just the ones you're meeting at downtown hotels for "tuition assistance".

Some Guy

Just to inject a bit of perspective here, I know someone who works for a major university on the west coast. This professor had a girl come into his office, she said "I'll do anything for an A", and he told her "study." She then closed his door, took off her shirt, and repeated herself. Once again, he told her to study.

She tried another tack, and said "you know, I can just tell the dean that you came on to me", and so he lied and said that he had an audio recorder running during his office hours, and that she had better leave and drop his class. He spent the rest of that year pretty much terrified that she might end his career with a false accusation.

I'm not saying that the girls are lying in this particular case, but let's not jump on the "guilt by accusation" bandwagon. He may or may not be guilty, let the university investigate and find out.

Jim

What's more amazing is students were actually being taught by a professor at that school. Most instructors at the UI are kids off the street (TAs) who aren't qualified to teach high school yet.

kate

old guys are gross.

Bill

A question for the above commentators: Why do you take it for granted that Professor Miller actually did what he is accused of? While I do think that he should be terminated if he did in fact commit these egregious acts, I think that, without additional evidence then what is given in the article, we should not be so quick to assume guilt. I may be, but am not yet, ashamed to be made of aluminum.

Mike in Atlanta

Gee Whiz! Isn't this the same scenario of about a third of all porn movies? You know, the pouting, well endowed girl in a skirt and tight blouse stays after class to talk to the professor thinking she deserves a better grade kind of thing. My guess is that if the police raided Arthur Miller's house, they would find a lot of "inspirational" movies.

Fred Flintstone

We shouldn't act so surprised. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as far as this sort of exchange for better grades is concerned. That's what happens when you mix old guys (with a modicum of power) with young women in their childbearing prime. The difference here is that the prof coerciveness crossed the line.

Yoshi

I would HOPE that you at UI care about proper grammar. If you aren't interested in furthering your education, why are you attending university? You are doing a disservice to UI's academic reputation by suggesting that academic excellence is not a goal of the university's students.

Returning to the topic at hand, the dude's a douchebag. I can't imagine how you'd have the gall or be stupid enough or have such little regard for your students to promise better grades in return for sexual favors. I hope the university demonstrates that such behavior and abuse of power will not be tolerated.

Joe

Dear Scott,

Thanks for pointing out that bad grammar is an offense as egregious as sexual assault.

We here at UI don't really care whether alumni is singular since Iowans are very nice people and everyone understands the intended meaning.

Regardless, this guy is just one of the first to get caught. Student/Professor relationships are fairly widespread at UI.

Scott

The professor has committed an egregious act and has harmed the reputation of the University of Iowa and the professoriate in general. He should surely have known better than to do that and now should have to pay the price. A second questionable act at the University of Iowa seems to be that they teach that "alumni" is singular. I'm glad I'm not an alumnus (or, if I were a female, an alumna, or, as some prefer, the unisex "alum") and hope that other alumni are as clear on that concept as they are that most professors -- by far -- do NOT demand sexual favors for better grades!

Kristi

All these cases but you don't hear about harsh punishments....very weird. Athletes, professors, randoms on the streets. Ridiculous. Guys are more scared to drink underage than attack a girl. I second being ashamed to be an alumni

Mac G

What a CREEP! Why didn't the University try to stall this investigation like the football players case? Heads need to roll from the top down at this University. I am ashamed to be an alumni.

UI mired in another sex scandal

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