Hokkaido Univ. council committed 'organizational academic harassment': investigation

SAPPORO -- Hokkaido University's harassment prevention office determined in July that actions taken by a professors' council toward several associate professors in the Faculty of Science's chemistry division amounted to "organizational academic harassment." The associate professors had complained that they were being "systematically isolated by the professors' council. " Several professors are believed to have been disciplined in response, but the university has not made public either the investigation results or the disciplinary measures.

Experts and lawyers familiar with harassment issues said they know of no confirmed organizational academic harassment by a professors' council, making this case what is believed to be the first of its kind in Japan. Associate professors seek inquiry into 'organizational power harassment' In the chemistry division, associate professors and others who remained in laboratories after professors left because of retirement or transfers were labeled and set apart as "former staff.