A student filed a Title IX report against board of trustees Chair John B. Frank ’78 P’12 with the University Title IX office on Sept. 21, 2023. In the report, the student alleged that Frank made inappropriate physical contact with them in February 2023 at a board meeting in the Daniel Family Commons, where the student was working as part of Bon Appétit’s catering service.

This issue was brought to light by an account of the alleged incident published in an anonymously authored zine, which was published online and distributed around the University on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. The Argus was able to independently verify that the student who filed the Title IX report also authored the account in the zine, although they were otherwise uninvolved in the zine’s claims, production, and distribution. The student requested to remain anonymous for this article.

In response to a request for comment regarding the allegations in the anonymous zine and the student’s original report, the Office of University Communications sent a written statement to The Argus.

“In September of 2023 a student reported to the University that John Frank, Chair of the Wesleyan Board of Trustees, put his hand on their back while speaking with them and others at a public board function in Feb. 2023,” the Office of University Communications wrote in the statement. “The University followed its policies regarding the report.”

The Argus obtained a copy of the original Title IX report filed by the student, which went into greater detail than University Communications’ statement. In the complaint, the student alleged that Frank, who had reportedly been drinking at the time, continually approached them throughout the event, to a point where the student felt singled out.

“Frank repeatedly asked for more wine from me,” the student wrote in the report. “As I filled his glass for the final time, I felt a hand touching my lower back, rubbing me. Before I could react, I felt a pinky slowly sliding downwards towards my waistband.”

Frank declined to comment on the student’s allegations in the zine, and could not be reached for comment regarding the specific details of the student’s original Title IX report.

In a conversation with The Argus, the student expressed their opinion that the administration’s statement was an oversimplification of their report and of the events that transpired in February 2023, also emphasizing that their intent in reporting Frank was to protect others from similarly uncomfortable situations. The student expressed concern that their original report was not sufficiently specific and has since filed a revised report with the University Title IX office.

“I am worried now that my statement is going to be used to discredit me,” the student wrote in their revised statement. “I should have been more detailed and I apologize for oversimplifying…. My implication was not that his hand was horizontal, but rather, vertical. While his palm was on my lower back, his fingers were lower.”

With permission from the student, Title IX Coordinator Debbie Colucci informed University President Michael Roth ’78, as well as Vice-Chairs of the board Anne Goldrach ’79 P ’12, Phoebe Boyer ’89 P ’19, ’23, and Robert Pruzan ’85, of the report. In a meeting with The Argus, Roth confirmed that he had visited the Title IX office and seen the written report.

Roth, who noted to The Argus that his involvement in a Title IX case would typically be abnormal, was informed of the complaint due to his working relationship with the board of trustees. He subsequently met with the student; Colucci and Provost Nicole Stanton were present.

“I think normally [Colucci] would be following up with the person against whom the complaint was made,” Roth said. “It seemed that I would be in a better position to do that rather than have someone who might feel more intimidated by talking to a trustee about the situation. It’s unusual because [Frank] is not an employee nor a fellow student.”

According to Roth, he personally informed Frank of the report during an event in the President’s House associated with the annual board retreat in September 2023. Roth recalled that Frank said it was possible he had touched their back, as the University’s statement alleges, and expressed remorse for making the student uncomfortable.

“The student definitely felt like it was an inappropriate contact,” Roth said.

The University’s statement noted that Frank could not recall the incident when approached by Roth and informed of the report. He offered to extend the student a personal apology, according to University Communications.

“[After being informed of the report] Mr. Frank responded that he did not remember the student or the incident but conveyed his apologies for any discomfort he unintentionally may have caused,” the Office of Communications wrote in the statement.

In the original Title IX report, the student made it clear that the events of the alleged incident had a strong impact on them.

“For him, it was a drunken mistake, something he probably doesn’t even remember,” the student wrote in the original report. “For me, it’s something I’ll never be able to forget.”

Multiple administrators involved in the Title IX process and subsequent response stood by the school’s handling of the student’s report.

“Our policies and procedures were followed,” Colucci wrote in an email to The Argus. “At certain points in the process, depending on the situation, there are individuals with a need to know and/or to weigh in.”

According to University Communications and Roth himself, Frank asked Roth whether he should resign his seat on the board of trustees. Roth offered his personal opinion that Frank should remain on the board.

“I think John [Frank] said to me something like, ‘Do you think I should resign?’” Roth said. “And I said I don’t think he should resign. That was my opinion, but it’s not up to me who resigns…. I don’t think touching someone on the back in a public setting while talking to them about the food they’re serving is the kind of action that should lead to resignation.” 

According to Roth and University Communications’ written statement, the student neither pushed for Frank’s resignation nor requested a public apology. However, the student and the Title IX office agreed that the board would undergo measures to prevent similar events, including sensitivity training. In conversation with The Argus, Roth said that the training would be held at next semester’s board retreat, in September 2024. Frank will likely not be attending, as his term as chair is scheduled to end on July 1, 2024. Roth indicated to The Argus that, had the training occurred during Frank’s term, Frank would have led it.

The student emphasized that they do not want to be perceived as retaliating against the University or the administration.

“I am not advocating for anyone to resign, be removed or anything similar,” the student wrote in their revised report. “I love this school and want to make it clear…that I am only involved in the writing of this one piece [in the anonymous zine].”

Colucci encouraged students to reach out to the Title IX office for support and resources.

“Every individual involved in a harmful interaction with a member of our community has access to understanding [the] options and resources for support as well as reporting/taking action,” Colucci wrote. “Those situations are handled the same way each time and align with our policies and procedures, within the needs of the individual who experienced the harm.”

Students, faculty, or staff who wish to file a Title IX report should do so by reaching out to Colucci.

 

This article is part of a developing story and will be updated accordingly.

Miles Pinsof-Berlowitz can be reached at mpinsofberlo@wesleyan.edu.

Sophie Jager can be reached at sjager@wesleyan.edu.