University of Guam and Sexual Harassment
I want to vomit anytime I remember that from 2012-18, I was an assistant professor at the University of Guam.
Based on my experiences and those of others, from 2013 onwards, I repeatedly reached out to our administration regarding widespread sexual harassment of students by professors. The university — from the president on down, including my dean, my chair, and the SVP— refused to take any action until the accusations against Michael Ehlert became public knowledge. Even then, they made only cosmetic changes, with the exception of firing P.K. Harmon.
This is the responsibility of everyone at the university, but particularly the Board of Regents and the senior administration.
It is unacceptable that our students and faculty should ever even once suffer a criminal act at our university, let alone systematically and continuously. It is further unacceptable that complainants should ever be silenced, gaslit, and made the target of cruel gossip.
I cannot express how much I suffered from this hostile environment, not just professionally but personally. I have been shattered. As one example, when I did a study at the president’s suggestion, my dean and associate dean verbally threatened me with a libel suit. I was terrified and severely depressed because of this situation to the point of almost completely inhibiting my activity, I was homeless, I was suicidal, I was progressively isolated and scapegoated.
Truth is an absolute defense against libel. If this goes to trial, I know, as must the university, that the discovery process will unearth the truth. It would obviously be a harmful process for me emotionally, but I am deciding to speak up despite this longstanding threat and the deep wounds I bear.
At first I thought I was alone, or it was my fault. The truth is that many had similar experiences, and the fault was in the perpetrators and those who protected them.
I fled the university in 2018 and eventually left Guam. This helped me enormously on a personal level.
However, if we do not act, no change will occur. I note that the individuals in question are still employed and still teaching young people. The university is a public institution.
I am calling on our political leaders to conduct public oversight hearings of the university regarding sexual harassment, not least, the cover-up of crimes and the intimidation of reporters. I have already reached out to most of the island’s leaders privately, but they have not responded in any way, so I am making this public.
Please, stop tolerating this. Fire the criminals.
The abuse of young Indigenous students by white professors has got to stop. It is steeped in the worst remnants of colonialism. It has nearly destroyed me and has also severely harmed others.
There is so much pain women have suffered. Not just mine, but the collective. I cannot express the extent of the need to stop tolerating federal crime and heal those who have been harmed.
Elizabeth Bowman
Isa Kelley Bowman 