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EducationQuiet 12d · day 12

DU philosophy professor kept on payroll after harassment finding

University of Denver's civil rights office found Marco Nathan responsible for sexual harassment and recommended firing, but he remains employed part-time off-campus.

newest coverage 12d agosummary written 11d ago4 pieces NewswiresMastodon

What to know

  • The University of Denver's civil rights office found tenured philosophy professor Marco Nathan responsible for sexual harassment, recommended his firing, and upheld that finding on appeal—yet he remains employed.
  • Nathan now works part-time off-campus with no student contact after being former department chair; the university has not explained why he was not terminated despite the investigative recommendation.
  • The former student waited until after graduation and Ph.D. acceptance to report, citing the power imbalance and career consequences of speaking up within academia's small, interconnected fields.

“You never know if a professor you're trying to report is managing the journals you need to get published in to further your career, if they're the ones accepting abstracts for conferences you need to present at. The power differential is so extreme.”

Former DU graduate student, Harassment complainant · Mercury News / Denver Post reporting ↗

Marco Nathan Tenured philosophy professor, former department chairFormer DU graduate student Complainant in harassment caseUniversity of Denver Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity Investigative and enforcement bodyUniversity of Denver Educational institution

DU philosophy professor kept on payroll after harassment finding
mercurynews.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 4 pieces in 3h at Oct 27, 8 AM; 4 pieces over 12 days (3 articles · 1 post) Oct 27, 8 AM — 4 pieces · 3 articles · 1 post — Newswires 3, Mastodon 1Oct 27, 11 AM — quietOct 27, 2 PM — quietOct 27, 5 PM — quietOct 27, 8 PM — quietOct 27, 11 PM — quietOct 28, 2 AM — quietOct 28, 5 AM — quietOct 28, 8 AM — quietOct 28, 11 AM — quietOct 28, 2 PM — quietOct 28, 5 PM — quietOct 28, 8 PM — quietOct 28, 11 PM — quietOct 29, 2 AM — quietOct 29, 5 AM — quietOct 29, 8 AM — quietOct 29, 11 AM — quietOct 29, 2 PM — quietOct 29, 5 PM — quietOct 29, 8 PM — quietOct 29, 11 PM — quietOct 30, 2 AM — quietOct 30, 5 AM — quietOct 30, 8 AM — quietOct 30, 11 AM — quietOct 30, 2 PM — quietOct 30, 5 PM — quietOct 30, 8 PM — quietOct 30, 11 PM — quietOct 31, 2 AM — quietOct 31, 5 AM — quietOct 31, 8 AM — quietOct 31, 11 AM — quietOct 31, 2 PM — quietOct 31, 5 PM — quietOct 31, 8 PM — quietOct 31, 11 PM — quietNov 1, 1 AM — quietNov 1, 4 AM — quietNov 1, 7 AM — quietNov 1, 10 AM — quietNov 1, 1 PM — quietNov 1, 4 PM — quietNov 1, 7 PM — quietNov 1, 10 PM — quietNov 2, 1 AM — quietNov 2, 4 AM — quietNov 2, 7 AM — quietNov 2, 10 AM — quietNov 2, 1 PM — quietNov 2, 4 PM — quietNov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 10 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 4 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — quietNov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quiet 1
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  1. 1

    Denver Post reports Nathan remains employed despite harassment finding

    Coverage reveals that despite the civil rights office's recommendation for termination and upholding of findings on appeal, Nathan continues to work for DU as a part-time off-campus employee with no student interactions. The former student questions why he was not fired.

    “while Nathan is still employed by the university, the one-time department chair is now a part-time employee working off-campus who 'does not have interactions with students.'”
    — Jon Stone, University of Denver spokesman
  2. background

    DU civil rights office upholds harassment findings on appeal — The civil rights office upheld its original findings, stating that Nathan's own explanations of his interactions were 'sufficiently troubling on their own' even before considering the complainant's account.

  3. background

    Nathan appeals findings, denies behavior was sexual — Nathan appealed the university's determination, denying his behavior toward the student was sexual and claiming she initiated or welcomed their interactions.

  4. background

    DU civil rights office finds Nathan responsible for sexual harassment — After a year-long investigation involving four different investigators, the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity determined Nathan was 'responsible for harassment based on sex in the form of hostile environment harassment' and recommended his termination.

  5. background

    Former student reports harassment to civil rights office — After graduating from DU and being accepted into a Ph.D. program elsewhere, the student reported her experience to the university's Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity in 2024.

  6. background

    Nathan invites student to his home for academic meetings during pandemic — After campus closure, Nathan invited the graduate student to his home for academic meetings, where she met his wife and newborn.

  7. background

    Former student begins graduate studies at University of Denver — A 23-year-old began her graduate program at DU, where she would become close with her academic adviser Marco Nathan over time.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 3 outlets A Denver professor was found to have sexually harassed a student. She wants to know why he still works there.

    first by Orlando Sentinel, 12d ago · also Baltimore Sun, Mercury News