Paul Barrows wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't going away.

Three months after a University of Wisconsin appeals committee cleared Barrows of sexual harassment allegations, the former vice chancellor of student affairs is asking the UW System's Board of Regents to review the university's actions.

In a June 12 letter to the Academic Staff Appeals Committee — which ruled in May that the university did not have sufficient evidence of sexual harassment to discipline Barrows — UW Provost Patrick Farrell said he would replace the letter of discipline in Barrows' file with a "letter of counsel," which he said is "not an item of discipline."

Barrows' attorney, Lester Pines, however, said he and his client "cannot see a difference" between the two letters and called on the Board of Regents in late July to review the matter.

"I don't know why the provost did what he did. It just prolongs this controversy," Pines said in an interview. "We're looking for the university to make a statement that says, 'Look. Paul Barrows did not violate any of the rules of this university, period,' because he did not violate any rules of the university, period."

Through UW Communications, Farrell declined an interview request. However, in his letter to the appeals committee, Farrell said that while he agreed there was "not sufficient evidence" of sexual harassment, Barrows' behavior was still "unprofessional and ill-advised," and would be reflected as such in the letter of counsel.

Pines called that letter "absolutely unnecessary" and is requesting that the university to remove it from Barrows' file.

The issue now awaits the Board of Regents' Personnel Matters Review Committee, which will make a recommendation to the full board on whether to hear the appeal after reviewing briefs and hearing oral arguments from both Pines and the university's attorneys.

"Ultimately, the full board will decide [whether to hear the appeal]," said Regent Mike Spector, chair of the review committee. "The full board could reverse us or they could agree. They're looking to us to hear an initial review of all this."

Calling the initial letter requesting an appeal from Pines an "opening brief," Spector said the next step is for UW System attorneys to prepare a response, after which Barrows will have an opportunity to counter.

With the wheels just beginning to turn, Spector warned a resolution might come later rather than sooner.

"The process will take a little while here," Spector said. "But, we will move forward now."

Pines said he and Barrows are confident the regents will eventually review the matter and, ultimately, will rule in Barrows' favor.

"I suspect what they'll do is overturn all of this stuff," Pines said.

After allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against him in November 2004, Barrows, at the request of Chancellor John Wiley, resigned from his vice chancellor position and took an extended leave of absence.

UW demoted Barrows to his contractually guaranteed back-up position when he returned to work at the university in the fall of 2005, cutting his salary by nearly $120,000.