Opinion

Time to close Bascomgate

Although he worked a mere quarter of the year in Madison, Paul Barrows did much to harm the University of Wisconsin in 2005. The actions of the former vice chancellor for student affairs, who spent last summer embroiled in a high-profile scandal over allegations of inappropriate behavior with a graduate student and coworkers, led more than a few officials in the state Capitol to publicly criticize the school.

However, with the year ending and Mr. Barrows fading back into the clockwork of Bascom in his backup position in the Provost's Office, there was hope this ugly chapter for UW had reached its merciful end.

Regrettably, that appears not to be the case.

Mr. Barrows announced recently that he has been granted a hearing by the Academic Staff Appeals Committee to protest the university's handling of him. He claims UW unfairly reprimanded him and tarnished his image after a summer in which Chancellor John Wiley demoted him to his backup position — a part of his limited-appointment employment status — following allegations of numerous episodes of misconduct.

Although this board recognizes Mr. Wiley made serious errors in judgment in handling his colleague, it is disheartening to see Mr. Barrows continue to deny wrongdoing in the matter.

As detailed in attorney Susan Steingass' report released in September, Mr. Barrows engaged in a consensual relationship with a graduate student — one marked by drunken phone calls from the former vice chancellor looking for sex.

When questioned by university officials, including Mr. Wiley and his assistant Casey Nagy, Mr. Barrows acknowledged the relationship but denied its sordid nature, according to Ms. Steingass' findings.

After Mr. Wiley subsequently placed him on sick leave, Mr. Barrows searched for jobs elsewhere. When applying for a position at the University of Texas, he told officials his leave was physician-approved, despite telling Madison media that his leave was not medically related.

Before returning to the university, Mr. Barrows assured Mr. Wiley he had not engaged in any other inappropriate liaisons as vice chancellor. But evidence to the contrary days later provided by then-Dean of Students Luoluo Hong convinced Mr. Wiley to order Mr. Barrows' demotion.

A clear trend of inconsistent statements and willingness to bend the truth by Mr. Barrows emerged throughout the controversy.

Mr. Barrows behaved badly and his reputation deservedly is no longer what it once was.

Worst of all is the effect Mr. Barrows' reluctance to let the story die threatens to have on the university. The upcoming year will be critical for UW. Outrage over Mr. Barrows' case resulted in a $1 million cut in state funding to the university last year, and school officials must make amends with lawmakers before the next state budget comes up for debate in 2007.

Unfortunately, that will be difficult as long as it remains business as usual for Mr. Barrows, the limited-appointment employee with a limited taste for responsibility.