Harvard University has taken disciplinary action against Germanic Languages and Literatures professor Eric Rentschler for violating sexual harassment policies.
According to the The Harvard Crimson, the disciplinary action was announced by Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra in an internal email on Thursday.
According to the email obtained by The Crimson, Rentschler has been placed on two-year administrative leave for breaching the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ sexual and gender-based harassment policies, as well as professional conduct guidelines.
Rentschler holds appointments in both the Germanic Languages and Literatures department and the Art, Film, and Visual Studies department.
Dean Hoekstra condemned Rentschler’s actions, stating:
“Professor Rentschler’s conduct has violated the fundamental norms of our community.”
Dean Hoekstra also stated that sanctions have been deemed appropriate in response to the severity of the behavior.
Rentschler has not yet responded to requests for comment, while FAS spokesperson Holly Jensen declined to provide further details, citing a policy of non-disclosure regarding personnel matters.
This disciplinary action against Rentschler is the latest in a series of cases involving tenured FAS academics found to have breached sexual harassment or professional misconduct policies in recent years.
Other professors implicated in similar violations include Roland G. Fryer Jr., John L. Comaroff, and Jorge I. Dominguez.
The announcement suggests that Dean Hoekstra, who has been in her position for less than a year, will face challenges similar to those encountered by her predecessor, Claudine Gay, regarding addressing misconduct allegations within the FAS.
Effective immediately, Rentschler is placed on administrative leave for two years, during which he is prohibited from teaching at Harvard or attending Harvard-sponsored events and meetings.
Following this period, he may only teach non-required classes and will be barred from taking on new undergraduate or graduate advisees for an additional two years. Hoekstra will reassess these sanctions at the end of the specified period.
Rentschler’s current Ph.D. students are permitted to switch advisors, and any advising activities during his leave must occur remotely.
These sanctions follow a review conducted by the Office of Dispute Resolution and the FAS. Although Rentschler had the opportunity to participate in the review process, it is unclear whether he chose to do so.
