Graduate Programs with Sexual Harassment and Racism Allegations

[Internapplicant4708]

So you can make an informed decision about your graduate school decision.

List any graduate programs here and supports offered to students:

List will be updated here:

West Virginia University (PhD Psychology):

Concern: Multiple substantiated Title IX investigations against faculty and students regarding sexual harassment and racism.

Supports offered:
Title IX office

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[WisNeuro]

Yeah, I see this thread going well.

 

[Internapplicant4708]

Yeah, I see this thread going well.

Understandably. We think it is important for this information to be clear for students deciding on programs still.

 

[PsyDr]

I am SHOCKED to learn that West Virginia has trouble with race relations. And gender relations.

 

[Spydra]

I agree that this is an important topic, but would be surprised if this thread remains civil. I also think one problem is all the cases that don't become formal cases because they are covered up or settled, thus there may be a lack of awareness of where problems actually are. It may be better to take the approach of knowing what supports are in place at the universities being considered in order to address these issues when they are raised. A Title IX office is required if they participate in federal funding, but what supports are available for student wellbeing?

 

[deleted480308]

So you can make an informed decision about your graduate school decision.

List any concerning graduate programs here and details.

List will be updated here:

West Virginia University (PhD Psychology): Multiple credible Title IX investigations against faculty and students regarding sexual harassment and racism.

Can you cite the credible allegations so others can review?

 

[borne_before]

In this climate, you'd be hard pressed to find any program that is "pure."

 

[DynamicDidactic]

West Virginia University (PhD Psychology):

Concern: Multiple substantiated Title IX investigations against faculty and students regarding sexual harassment and racism.

If you are going to start a thread like this, which can be very important, I think you need to be a bit more clear.

1. Are you speaking of clinical psychology programs only?
2. Are you asking if the problem are of the faculty/students being victims or perpetrators (or both)?
3. Please provide sources. Otherwise, it is nothing but gossip.
4. What is a substantiated investigation? I think the more important information is the outcome of an investigation. It is likely that the vast majority of universities have had Title IX investigations.

There have been some recent high profile cases of psychology faculty harassing/inappropriate relationships with students but it has not been in clinical psychology.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Mod Note: Related to what has already been mentioned, disseminating this information can be important and helpful for students/applicants. However, as Title IX allegations are rather serious, any such allegations must be accompanied by supporting information/citation or they will need to be removed.

 

[conky124]

I think what is more important is to ask yourself what are you going to do about these issues when you come across them in grad school/your career, because you will. You also will have very little power or leverage to do something without blow-back. The problem will be that it will be very hard for you to report these things because the offenses can be veiled in ambiguity and are perpetrated in non-traditional and veiled ways. So, ask yourself what risks you are willing to take, are you willing to risk a vendetta from a professor/institution with a lot more leverage than you? Are you willing to do something even though your peers may not back you up? At the end of the day that is what it comes down to. These are not reasons to not act, but they are obstacles you will face. Trying to pin-point programs that are racist, sexist, or exploitative of students making no money is not going to prevent you from facing these issues because they are in every program that has strong power dynamics.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

they are in every program that has strong power dynamics.

And not all programs have such strong power dynamics. Anecdotally, my program seemed to really treat students as trainees and future collegaues as opposed to labor. Of course, this will differ based on the advisor but the program as a whole was very supportive of student concerns.

 

[conky124]

And not all programs have such strong power dynamics. Anecdotally, my program seemed to really treat students as trainees and future collegaues as opposed to labor. Of course, this will differ based on the advisor but the program as a whole was very supportive of student concerns.

True, didn't mean to make grad school all doom and gloom or be alarmist, just wanted to add a little inoculation. Some programs are great about these issues, I feel like my internship is pretty protective of their students in this way. I just wanted to bring awareness to the folks applying/entering that they will come across these issues in their career and they won't be as protected as they were as undergrad students. I think it's important to prepare oneself for these potential situations because it can be easy to assume that academia/psychologists would not act in such a way, but they can just like anyone else in the world we currently live in. It also can be easy to assume you'll be able to act as righteously as you'd hope would but its just complex when it comes down to doing anything about it.

edits for coherence and grammar