A former Michigan State University political science professor propositioned a graduate student “for sexual favors in exchange for his academic guidance regarding her research and paper,” according an MSU investigative report provided to the State Journal.

William Jacoby – an eminent figure in his field who until last year served as the editor of the American Journal of Political Science – sexually harassed graduate students at both the University of Michigan and MSU, according to investigations by those institutions.

Jacoby denies both allegations, writing of the latter, “I vehemently disagree with the MSU OIE's findings. Currently, I am considering my appeal options.”

He retired from MSU effective Jan. 1.

The former student who sought Jacoby’s help with a research project told investigators that Jacoby glanced at her paper before becoming aggressive and asking, “What are you going to give me?”

Jacoby would have her gratitude, she responded, and the satisfaction of doing his job.

His response was, “You can’t expect me to do something for nothing, quid pro quo,” the woman told investigators.

It sounded like “a sexual ask,” she told investigators. “I felt like he was asking me for (oral sex) or something.”

Jacoby told investigators he didn’t recall ever using the term “quid pro quo.” When he said he couldn’t do something for nothing, “I meant intellectual payoff,” he told investigators.

The woman, whose name was redacted in the report reviewed by the Lansing State Journal, is one of two former students found to have been sexually harassed by Jacoby. The other incident happened at the University of Michigan shortly before Jacoby went to work for MSU.

A conference talk

Jacoby was a lecturer with the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research Summer Program at U-M in the summer of 2002.

Rebecca Gill was an MSU political science graduate student taking part in the program.

On the night the program ended, participants went out to celebrate. Gill recalls that she and Jacoby were sitting next to each other at an Ann Arbor bar when the conversation took an uncomfortable turn.

Jacoby talked about how mysterious she was, Gill said, then he asked her if she’d consider having an affair with him.

“I was stunned,” Gill said in an interview Friday. “I just kind of came to senses and said something like ‘You can’t expect me to answer that.’”

A witness backed up Gill’s recollection to investigators, saying she was sitting across from them and heard Jacoby say the word “affair.” The witness suggested that she and Gill leave.

Around 2005, Gill met with Jacoby seeking his blessing to not have him on her dissertation committee, citing the incident in the bar as the reason, she said. Jacoby denied that he’d propositioned Gill, becoming defensive and the meeting ended with Gill feeling shaken, she told investigators.

Gill would take a job out of state and wait three years before submitting her dissertation and graduating to avoid having Jacoby on her committee.

“That put me on the job market in 2008, and I am extremely lucky I was able to find a full-time tenure-track position,” Gill said.

A year ago, as Gill was preparing to participate in a panel on mentorship at the 2018 Southern Political Science Conference, she reflected on the things her male mentors were unable to provide and realized how much came back to her experience at the Ann Arbor bar a decade and a half ago, she said.

The mentors she’d told didn’t grasp how that kind of experience damages the confidence of students, particularly those who already felt like they didn’t belong.

“I never seriously considered talking about it publicly,” she said, but noted that the #MeToo movement was underway and that she had tenure and the backing of her bosses at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“Maybe now is the right time,” she thought.

And so she discussed the incident during the panel but didn’t mention Jacoby’s name. She did, however, include enough specifics so that the audience and readers on Facebook and Twitter wouldn’t confuse Jacoby for another male colleague.

In April, Jacoby posted a letter from the editor on the website of the American Journal of Political Science.

“It is apparently widely known that allegations related to sexual harassment have been made against me,” his letter began. “The allegations are untrue.”

The post prompted strong rebukes from fellow political scientists, and Jacoby later removed the post, apologizing to those who were offended and saying he was “merely trying to explain the course of action that I plan to follow.”

He stepped down as editor in April.

The University of Michigan concluded on Oct. 12 that Jacoby “engaged in behavior that violated the university’s sexual harassment policy.”

“With respect to the UM report, I reject its conclusion and continue to deny the accusation,” he wrote in an email. He went on to write that the determination was based on a “biased and incomplete consideration of the evidence presented” and wasn’t done consistent with the university’s policies.

Jacoby continued, “But, I apparently have no recourse or right of appeal. So, as far as I am concerned, that matter is closed.”

He retired from MSU, effective New Year’s Day. He’d always planned to retire once his time as editor ended, he wrote in an email.

A pattern of behavior

Valerie Sulfaro learned of Gill’s story from the chair of her dissertation committee. After reading more about it, she saw similarities to her own experiences with Jacoby.

Sulfaro was a graduate student at the University of South Carolina in the early 1990s when Jacoby was a professor there. Because he was the only faculty member there involved in her subfield, she came to see him as a mentor.

One day, Jacoby came to her office, shut the door and said he’d noticed she had shown signs of being interested in him. He asked if she would like to “pursue a relationship,” Sulfaro told MSU investigators.

“When he did proposition me, I was surprised, confused, dismayed, guilty and thought I must have done something to make him think that,” Sulfaro said.

She felt pressured not to reject him because of the impact it could have on her future career. She ultimately engaged in a relationship with Jacoby for about two years, before his wife discovered the affair.

After learning of Gill’s experience, Sulfaro contacted MSU, U of M and several other organizations Jacoby was involved in. MSU contacted Gill 12 days after Sulfaro wrote to them requesting an investigation.

In its report, MSU noted that each woman was able to provide witnesses to back up claims that Jacoby “propositioned them as a result of his position.”

“This additional evidence shows a distinct pattern of behavior by Respondent,” wrote investigators from Kroll, the firm MSU brought on last year to aid in the investigation of sexual misconduct complaints. “This evidence supports that he sexually propositions female graduate students in the Political Science field, particularly students who express interest in benefitting from his influence, guidance, and support within their education and career.”

Jacoby currently has no affiliation with MSU, unversity spokesperson Heather Young wrote in an email. As of Saturday, he still has a professor page on the Department of Political Science’s website.

“Broadly speaking, MSU can’t discipline a retired faculty member,” Young said.

“However, MSU may put limitations in place that limit the former faculty member’s affiliation with the department/college,” citing potential exclusion from dissertation committees, lectures and other events.

Contact RJ Wolcott at (517) 377-1026 or rwolcott@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @wolcottr.