April 30, 2004

Report Faults U. of Pittsburgh Department for Faculty-Student Relationships

By WELCH SUGGS and SHARON WALSH

A recent external review of the University of Pittsburgh's communication department found that "senior faculty routinely and repeatedly have engaged in consensual sexual relationships with graduate students, and this has been tolerated as usual and acceptable."

The report, delivered in March, was based on a routine audit that is done every 10 years and compiled by communications faculty members from three other universities. It was generally complimentary of the department, on the