The new faculty adviser for the club that practices bondage, discipline, dominance, submission and sado-masochism accepted the position this fall, but said he has minimal involvement with the club and does not attend meetings.

William Robinson, professor of philosophy and religious studies, is the adviser to Cuffs this fall. He said although he does not know why he was chosen, he saw no reason to decline the position.

As the adviser to Cuffs, Robinson said he does a minimal amount of work, which includes signing a few papers to list Cuffs as an official club and signing a few expenditure forms.

Robinson said he has not attended a meeting yet because they meet at 8 p.m. on Monday, which is when he teaches a class.

Harlan “Duane” Long, president of Cuffs and senior in psychology, said he chose Robinson because he was responsive to serving as the adviser.

Long said Robinson understands the bondage, domination and sado-masochism community and holds no moral objections.

Cuffs offers instructional informational, social discussion and educational exchanges, Robinson said.

People who attend the meetings have an interest in BDSM, he said.

Robinson has been a professor of philosophy at Iowa State since 1972.

Long said as an adviser, Robinson answers e-mails that attack Cuffs and points out fallacies in attackers’ logic.

“This makes him a valuable ally [for Cuffs],” Long said.

His teaching style is a mix between presentations and discussions.

“I prefer to answer questions,” Robinson said.

Robinson said he encourages students to state their opinions, so the class can have discussions on certain topics. He met Long because Long was enrolled in three of his classes.

In a class he teaches called “Brains, Minds and Computers,” Robinson asked the class if they thought they could make a robot that actually suffered pain.

This question sparked a discussion about what pain is, he said.

“Mr. Long contributed to this discussion,” Robinson said. “I feel that I actually learned something from his contribution.”

Pain is actually a very complicated subject, he said.

Robinson said some patients who have received a severe injury say they don’t mind pain from the injury.

There are some conceptual problems about describing exactly what pain is, he said.

Robinson is very easygoing, openminded, calm and has a reflective nature, said Joseph Kupfer, university professor of philosophy and religious studies. Robinson is also modest and a very good thinker with a good sense of humor, he added.

Kupfer said he thinks Robinson was chosen to be the adviser because he was willing to do it.

Being associated with Cuffs could be “a little sticky” and awkward, but Robinson is not the type to let the challenges bother him, he said.

Long said Cuffs has 14 paid members and 15 to 20 people attend each meeting.

People who attend the meeting are asked to be “respectful of others’ thoughts, feelings, opinions and kinks,” Long said.