“Star Economist at Harvard Faces Sexual Harassment Complaints” (NYT, Dec 14, 2018):
Before he turned 40, Roland G. Fryer Jr. had earned tenure at Harvard, received a MacArthur “genius” grant and won the most prestigious award for young American economists. He stoked a national debate by concluding that police officers show no bias in the shootings of black men.
But his rapid ascent has taken a troubling turn as Harvard officials review a university investigator’s conclusion that Dr. Fryer fostered a work environment hostile to women, one filled with sexual talk and bullying.
The findings, reviewed by The New York Times, found that Dr. Fryer had engaged in “unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature” toward four women who worked in the Harvard-affiliated research lab he created. In one case, his “persistent and pervasive” conduct contributed to stress that resulted in the accuser’s taking disability leave, the investigator found.
I.e., things were so bad that someone had to be paid for not working.
Cash and sex go together in economics research…
Now 41, he is one of Harvard’s best-paid faculty members, earning more than $600,000, the university’s 2016 tax filing shows. He has brought at least $33.6 million in grants to the university, according to a résumé on his Harvard web page.
Dr. Fryer told a Harvard investigator that any sexual banter in his office was related to his research and “in the spirit of academic freedom.”
Seven months have gone by. Has the guy disappeared? The Harvard web site suggests he is still on the payroll. How is that possible? Nobel Prize winners have been disappeared for far less (e.g., Tim Hunt).
“Complainant Withdrew Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination Complaint Against Harvard Prof. Roland Fryer” (Harvard Crimson, April 23, 2019):
A Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination investigation into whether Economics Professor Roland G. Fryer, Jr. sexually harassed and retaliated against a former female employee concluded in February by agreement of the parties, according to documents obtained by The Crimson. … The MCAD closed its investigation after the complainant’s lawyer, Monica R. Shah, signed the withdrawal form on Feb. 4. On the form, Shah indicated that the complainant had reached a “satisfactory settlement” with Harvard, Fryer, and Allan.
I.e., cash was the magic solution for the professor in a discipline that says most problems can be fixed with cash…
Related:
He may be one of the best paid, but compared to Greg Mankiw, author of the $280 Econ 101 textbook at Harvard, and who made at least $42M in royalties, he is a pauper. I wonder if it has a section on rent-seeking.
@Fazal – the previous edition of that book goes for $115. Whatever was added for the new edition is unlikely to be worth the $135 extra. Still what a mighty price increase for the update…I guess that’s the Harvard premium..
Where we’re going, you need textbooks!
Why is this rapist still allowed to walk the streets? Who does he think he is – Al Franken?