Joel Seligman

Joel Seligman (born January 11, 1950) is an American legal scholar and academic administrator who served as the 10th President of the University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York, Seligman and is one of the leading authorities on securities law in the United States. Seligman resigned his presidency on January 11, 2018, following his handling of a University-wide sexual harassment scandal of a faculty member.[2]

Joel Seligman
10th President of the University of Rochester
In office
July 1, 2005 (2005-07-01) – February 28, 2018 (2018-02-28)
Preceded byThomas H. Jackson
Succeeded byRichard Feldman (interim)[1]
Sarah Mangelsdorf
3rd CEO of the University of Rochester
In office
July 1, 2005 (2005-07-01) – February 28, 2018 (2018-02-28)
Preceded byRobert L. Sproull
Succeeded bySarah Mangelsdorf
Personal details
Born (1950-01-11) January 11, 1950
New York City, New York, U.S.
ResidenceWhite Plains, New York, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Harvard University (JD)
ProfessionAcademic
Lawyer
WebsiteOffice of the President of the University of Rochester

Education

Seligman received his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1971. He received his juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School in 1974.[3]

Career

Before his service as the University of Rochester's president, Seligman served as the dean and Ethan A.H. Shepley University Professor at the Washington University School of Law. Prior to serving there, Seligman was the dean and Samuel M. Fegtly Professor of Law at the University of Arizona College of Law (1995–1999). He also held professorships at the University of Michigan Law School (1987–1995), George Washington University Law School (1983–1986), and Northeastern University School of Law (1977–1983).

In addition to being an academic leader, Seligman is considered a leading authority on securities law. He is the author or coauthor of 20 books and over 40 articles on legal issues related to securities and corporations including the eleven-volume Securities Regulation, the leading treatise in the field (cowritten with Troy Paredes and the late Louis Loss); The Transformation of Wall Street: A History of the Securities and Exchange Commission; and Modern Corporate Finance.

Sexual Harassment and EEOC Complaint

On September 1, 2017, a complaint was filed by eight current and former faculty members of the University of Rochester with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The complaint includes allegations of sexual misconduct/harassment perpetrated by a current University of Rochester faculty member, and reprisals by the Seligman administration against the complainants.[4][5] The university responded publicly that the allegations were "thoroughly investigated and could not be substantiated," with Seligman personally responding that "no violation of the law or University policy was found," and that " [a]llegations are not facts."[6] Seligman also wrote that "as we saw in Rolling Stone's withdrawn story about sexual assault at the University of Virginia, even established media outlets can get it wrong,"[7] a statement for which Seligman later apologized.[8]

The public disclosure of the EEOC filing, and the responses to it from the University and Seligman, resulted in a contentious on-campus Town Hall meeting hosted by Seligman, with approximately 500 University students, faculty, and staff attending.[9] Subsequent to this meeting an on-campus rally was held, protesting against the responses of the University and Seligman to the allegations of sexual harassment and reprisals made in the EEOC-filed complaint.[10]

Resignation

Seligman resigned as the President and CEO of the University of Rochester on February 28, 2018, subsequent to the release of a report on the University's EEOC case by Debevoise & Plimpton, and amid the growing perception among students and faculty of a failure in leadership.[11][12][13]

Later career

Seligman is currently a member of the board of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. He also has served as reporter for the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, Revision of Uniform Securities Act (1998–2002); as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Market Information (2000–01); and as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Professional Ethics Executive Committee. He was a member of the board of the National Association of Securities Dealers and of Kodak from 2009 to 2013.

Personal life

After his previous 30-year marriage ended in divorce in 2012, Seligman married Rochester faculty member Delores Conway.[14]

References
  1. "Richard Feldman appointed interim president". NewsCenter. University of Rochester. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  2. Wang, Vivian (11 January 2018). "Exonerated, University of Rochester President Steps Down". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  3. "SELIGMAN, JOEL". Who's Who in America 2006. 2 (M-Z) (60th ed.). New Providence, NJ: Marquis Who's Who. 2005. p. 4254. Retrieved November 7, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
  4. "She was a rising star at a major university. Then a lecherous professor made her life hell". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  5. "11 Women Accuse University Of Rochester Professor Of Sexual Harassment". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  6. "University of Rochester responds to sexual harassment complaint against professor". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-09-10.
  7. "UR complainants vs. Seligman: War of words heats up over prof accused of sexual harassment". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  8. "UR President Joel Seligman apologizes for comment in sexual harassment case". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  9. "Seligman faces hundreds as campus outrage peaks". The Campus Times. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  10. "UR student criticism of handling sexual harassment allegations mounts". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  11. "Seligman quits, says UR's interests 'best served with new leadership'". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  12. "UR President Joel Seligman resigns". Rochester Business Journal. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  13. Wang, Vivian (January 11, 2018). "Exonerated, University of Rochester President Steps Down". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  14. Goodman, James (July 26, 2015). "Seligman leading UR's evolution". Democrat & Cronicle. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Academic offices
Preceded by
Thomas H. Jackson		 President of the University of Rochester
July 1, 2005 – February 28, 2018		 Succeeded by
Richard Feldman
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