Harvard Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit with Students

BOSTON (AP) — Harvard University has reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit involving three graduate students who accused the institution of failing to address sexual harassment complaints against a prominent professor. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, was dismissed without court costs and with prejudice, preventing the students from re-litigating their claims. The specific terms of the settlement remain undisclosed, but the students' legal representatives commended their bravery in bringing attention to significant issues surrounding harassment. The lawsuit detailed allegations against John Comaroff, a professor of anthropology, who was accused of inappropriate behavior, including forcible kissing and groping, dating back to 2017. One plaintiff claimed that during a meeting about her studies in Africa, Comaroff made alarming comments regarding potential violence she could face due to her same-sex relationship. The other two plaintiffs reported that Comaroff threatened to sabotage their careers after they reported his actions to university officials. Comaroff, who was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, has denied the allegations, asserting that he has always supported his students' careers. He characterized the lawsuit as a continuation of previously dismissed claims and described the situation as a targeted campaign against him by a small group of activists. Following the lawsuit's filing, Harvard placed Comaroff on administrative leave after an investigation found that his verbal conduct violated the university's policies. As the case moved toward mediation, Harvard's legal team sought dismissal, citing expired statutes of limitations and the lack of merit in some claims. Requests for comments on the settlement from Comaroff's attorneys and the university were not immediately answered.