Prof. John Michael Bailey’s popular Human Sexuality course, which came under national scrutiny following a controversial after-class, optional sex toy demonstration in February, will not be offered during the next academic year, University spokesman Al Cubbage confirmed Monday afternoon.
“Courses in human sexuality are offered in a variety of academic departments in other universities, and Northwestern is reviewing how such a course best fits into the University’s curriculum,” Cubbage wrote in a statement.
Bailey’s class, which drew widespread attention after it included a presentation involving a motorized sex toy earlier this year, is not listed in the tentative psychology course planner posted on the department’s website Tuesday. Bailey will, however, be teaching two 300-level Special Topics courses – one titled “Dangerous Ideas” – next school year, according to the document.
The course’s removal presents a larger inevitability for Robin Mathy, the Oregon-based clinician who filed ethics complaints with the American Psychological Association in the wake of Bailey’s demonstration.
“I don’t think you will see John Michael Bailey teaching Human Sexuality at Northwestern University ever again,” she said Monday night.
Bailey, who has taught Human Sexuality since 1994, could not be reached for comment Monday.
Cubbage further clarified that the class’ exclusion is not a direct response to Bailey’s sex toy demonstration but a related outcome.
“What we’re saying is we’re reviewing the curricula,” he said. “The review is prompted by that.”
Cubbage added that the University investigation into Bailey’s conduct launched in March “continues, and is in addition to this.”
When asked when University administration planned to inform psychology students of the course removal if not today, Cubbage said he “honestly doesn’t know.”
Psychology department assistant chair Ben Gorvine said the department was not responsible for the decision and that it was issued by a higher academic authority.
Prof. Karl Rosengren, the psychology department’s director of undergraduate studies, said he was notified within the “past couple of weeks” that Human Sexuality would not be available for enrollment next year. However, he declined to comment further on how that announcement was communicated to the department.
The discovery especially irked Communication sophomore Luis Pineiro, who started a Facebook petition defending Bailey in March that attracted more than 800 student signatures. He said the academic decision to drop Human Sexuality altogether “reflects poorly on what a college should be offering students.”
“That’s denying students the opportunity to take a class with new and exciting perspectives on sexuality,” he added.
But Mathy, who attributed the class’ removal to its lack of relevance to the psychology program, commended the NU administration for reassessing Human Sexuality’s role in the department’s curriculum.
“It’s exactly the right decision for them to make at the time,” she said. “Even Northwestern needs to take time to find a highly qualified professor with a doctorate degree.”
Whether her ethics complaints – which allege Bailey may have exposed minors to a public sex act and knowingly inflicted psychological damage upon present students – influenced NU administrators is a matter on which she is mostly undecided. She said the status of those grievances is currently confidential per APA policy, but interested parties may “have already seen the outcome” in Monday’s announcement.
“I don’t think we can ever know,” Mathy said. “We can’t say my complaint was the causative factor. It was a factor.”
Regardless of Mathy’s weight, Pineiro decried the University’s move as a “pretty outrageous” slap in the face to future generations of students.
“He’s garnered a lot of controversy, but the fact is, it’s one of the most popular classes that exists on this campus,” Pineiro said.
Statement by Alan K. Cubbage, Vice President for University Relations
May 9, 2011
Northwestern University’s Department of Psychology will not offer a course in human sexuality during the 2011-12 academic year. That course was taught previously by Professor J. Michael Bailey, who will have other teaching assignments in the coming year. Courses in human sexuality are offered in a variety of academic departments in other universities, and Northwestern is reviewing how such a course best fits into the University’s curriculum. At Northwestern University, the dean of a college/school has the right and responsibility to determine course assignments.
Check back for more information throughout the day and a full story in Tuesday’s edition.
