Allegations: In 2016, a student accused Saul of inappropriate touching and comments on her looks and repeated requests for one-on-one outings. The university spoke with two additional “individuals” who had similar concerns about Saul’s behavior but who didn’t wish to file formal complaints.

In 2018, a research assistant complained that Saul pressured her to stay at his apartment and sleep in his bed while they were in Turkey conducting research. She said another student had told her that she had acquiesced and slept in his bed, but that they did not have sex.

​

Result: In 2016, ODEA concluded that while Saul’s actions didn’t violate the sexual misconduct policy, supervisors should instruct him on appropriate student-professor interactions outside the classroom. It also recommended sexual harassment and Title IX training.

Two years later, the office again found that Saul did not violate the university’s sexual misconduct policy, but this time that he violated its code of conduct. The office advised that he should not meet one-on-one with junior female staff or students in “university spaces.”

The Anthropology Department head took the university’s recommendations further by taking Saul out of the classroom entirely. He has been on paid administrative leave since November of last year. His annual salary is around $91,000.

Professor response: Saul has denied wrongdoing in both the investigative documents and in correspondence with NPR Illinois. He said that the claims were inaccurate and that the 2018 investigation was the result of a “labor dispute … with a disgruntled employee.”

Where he is now: Employed by the university

How this came to light: NPR Illinois/ProPublica investigation

​

Source: https://www.propublica.org/article/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign-professors-sexual-harassment-accusations