University of Georgia finds prominent sociologist Paul Roman in violation of the school's harassment policy
Athens Banner-Herald
November 28, 2011
A prominent University of Georgia researcher must schedule visits to his own office and can no longer make personnel decisions affecting members of his research team after he was found in violation of UGA’s harassment policy.
Paul Roman, an expert in substance abuse treatment, created a hostile work environment for female employees, and retaliated against one of them after she filed a complaint about his behavior, UGA officials found.
“In particular, there were mutually corroborating reports of your making comments to individual employees or in group settings, directly or by innuendo, of a sexual nature or that were otherwise demeaning to women or otherwise inappropriate within the context of the (Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment) Policy,” former UGA Director of Equal Opportunity Stephen Shi wrote in a letter to Roman last May.
Roman holds the title of Distinguished Research Professor of Sociology and earlier this year was named a Regents Professor, one of the University System of Georgia’s highest academic honors, which includes a $10,000 raise. He is director of the Center for Research on Behavioral Health and Human Services Delivery, a part of the William A. and Barbara R. Owens Institute for Behavioral Research, and has brought in more than $33 million in grant funding to UGA over the past 25 years.
Roman appealed the decision and his punishment, but UGA President Michael Adams denied the appeal.
