Former UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow speaks following his termination hearing
Gow spoke with a Journal Sentinel reporter after the second day of the hearing, June 20.
A University of Wisconsin-La Crosse faculty committee unanimously recommended former chancellor Joe Gow lose his faculty position, setting the stage for the UW Board of Regents to fire him.
Gow was removed as chancellor last year for creating sex videos posted on porn websites. He was put on paid leave because he still retains his tenured faculty appointment and seeks to return to teaching. UW-La Crosse moved to revoke his tenure in a hearing last month.
In a report released to Gow Friday and shared with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the committee said a professor creating porn videos in their private capacity wasn’t unethical, but how Gow handled the aftermath was problematic.
“Once a faculty member publishes provocative content and is recognized in it as the public face of the University,he must choose whether to respond in a way that supports the best interests of the University, as his employer, or capitalize on the controversy,” the five-person committee wrote. “Prof. Gow clearly chose the latter path, exploiting his role as a UWL faculty member (and former UWL chancellor) to generate additional interest in, views of, and revenue from his pornographic content for his own benefit.”
The committee’s decision was disappointing but unsurprising to Gow who sees the entire process as a conflict of interest. A UW System attorney advised the committee while other UW System attorneys represented UW-La Crosse in the hearing. Gow said his videos and books are protected under the First Amendment.
“Although this isn’t the decision we wanted, (my wife) Carmen and I remain firmly committed to defending free speech and expression,” he said. “We’re in this for the long run, and we look forward to a public hearing with the UW Board of Regents.”
In last month’s hearing, UW-La Crosse argued just cause existed to fire Gow for unethical conduct, refusing to cooperate with the investigation and violating computer policies. Among the evidence brought forward:
- Gow invited adult film star Nina Hartley to speak on campus in 2018 without disclosing he and his wife had starred in a sex video with her. Gow argued it wasn’t a business relationship requiring disclosure, an explanation the committee found “unpersuasive.”
- Using pen names, Gow and his wife published two books about their experiences in the adult film industry with a note describing the account as a true story. Gow said the books were based on a true story with some creative liberties taken. The committee said parsing the language after the fact “calls into question intellectual honesty.”
- Gow did not participate in the investigation against him despite being on paid leave with no other job responsibilities. The committee disagreed with Gow’s arguments that his offer to answer questions in writing showed a willingness to cooperate and the investigation ended without warning to him.
Gow said many of the charges lodged against him strayed from the central question of whether he is fit to be a faculty member. He raised questions about the chain of custody associated with his university computers.
In one of the few allegations dismissed by the committee, the report described insufficient evidence to support the allegation of Gow deleting information from his computer in an attempt to hinder the investigation.
The committee, however, took issue with Gow suggesting a UW-driven conspiracy against him. His explanations ranged “from being plausible to evasive to disingenuous.”
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, also known as FIRE, is a national, nonpartisan free speech organization that’s taken an interest in Gow’s case.
“Upholding free speech means standing on principle, especially when it is difficult or unpopular to do so,” FIRE attorney Zach Greenberg said. “UW-La Crosse should show some backbone, not pander to politicians. Let Gow teach.”
UW-La Crosse did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chancellor James Beeby, who started the job July 1, will send his own recommendation to the board. His predecessor, interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan, had urged for Gow’s termination.
The UW Board of Regents have the final call in firing tenured faculty. It’s unclear when the board will vote on Gow’s tenure. A UW System spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday evening.
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