After months of speculation and media attention, the administrative hearing of Iowa State professor Michael Simonson came to a close this summer. On June 29, Administrative Judge Donald W. Bohlken released his proposed decision — that Simonson be dismissed from his position as professor of curriculum and instruction at ISU.

Charges were filed against Simonson in September 1997 by three ISU female students, each accusing Simonson of “violating university policy, creating a hostile environment, offensive conduct and sexual harassment.”

In his decision, Bohlken wrote that “the respondent has proven by a preponderance of the evidence that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the charges against the Appellant [Michael Simonson] are true and support the proposed action of terminating his employment.”

On Aug. 6, ISU President Martin Jischke agreed with Bohlken’s decision by releasing his own decision. Jischke wrote that after a “careful review of the proposed decision, I find that there is sufficient evidence, even without the charges dismissed by the [Administrative Law Judge], to conclude there are ‘reasonable grounds to believe that the charges (remaining) against the Appellant [Michael Simonson] are true and support the proposed action of terminating his employment.'”

Despite repeated attempts, neither Simonson nor his lawyer Stephan Terrill were available for comment. Shortly after Bohlken’s decision was released, but before Simonson was dismissed, he told the Daily that he is still asserting his innocence.

“We are continuing to believe that the accusations made against me are false,” Simonson told the Daily in July. “My family and friends and colleagues are supporting me.”

When Jischke released his decision, the termination of Simonson, who was a tenured professor at ISU, became official, said John McCaroll, director of university relations.

“He is no longer an employee of the university,” McCaroll said. “He is not scheduled to teach this fall.”

McCaroll said the ISU administration agrees with the decisions of Bohlken and Jischke regarding Simonson’s dismissal.

“We think the dismissal was entirely appropriate. [Simonson] was found by the judge to have engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment involving three separate complaints, and in one case, sexually assaulted one of them,” McCaroll said. “We believe the dismissal is entirely appropriate, [given] the seriousness of this case.

“The conduct is not the kind of conduct that has any place at Iowa State, and we are particularly concerned when it involves students,” he said.

Paul Tanaka, director of university legal services, agreed the allegations were of the most serious nature.

“I think that there’s no question that these were very serious charges,” Tanaka said. “Judge Bohlken found a pattern of not only sexual harassment but sexual abuse, which is a crime in this state.”

Another important part of the judge’s decision that was often overlooked, Tanaka said, was that “Dr. Simonson had misrepresented his conduct.”

After being placed on leave with pay in February 1997, Simonson sued the university, claiming that the case had not been given due-process rights.

Simonson’s administrative hearing began in December 1997, and it lasted more than a month. During the trial, the three women testified against the professor. Simonson himself had family members and friends testify to his “dedicated and respected” character during the course of his hearing.

According the president’s decision, Simonson has until Aug. 21 to appeal Jischke’s decision. As of press time, he has not filed an appeal.