When a woman student enrolled in a small departmental course this fall required for her concentration, she looked forward to working closely with an eminent scholar. But in the first few weeks of class, she quickly came to realize that close contact with this professor might offend her personal dignity more than it would ever aid her academic growth.

The professor singled her out in the class, she says, staring at her pointedly during class and trying to keep "a close physical presence" after class. When she went to his office hours to discuss course material, he put his arm around her. The professor lived in her House and he made a point of plunking his tray down next to her at breakfast. One morning he scrutinized her blouse front so obviously the student's sister, sitting at the same table, commented with distaste about his behavior later. Finally she heard the professor had tried to grab and kiss another woman in the course. She could sit by silently no longer; she reported him to her senior tutor, filed an official complaint with the University and dropped the course.

Although other women have described at least a dozen such incidents to the Crimson, only two women--one is the case cited above--have filed official complaints with the College under a procedure established a year ago. The women give a number of reasons for looking the other way. Some fear academic repercussions, or humiliation before skeptical administrators ("No one will believe me," one woman said") but many others are unaware the procedure exists.

Students who feel sexually harassed may report the case to Judith B. Walzer, assistant dean of the College for co-education, who will investigate the case through confidential discussions with the student, the senior tutor or adviser. Under the procedure, Walzer then reports her finding to Dean Fox, who in turn reports to Dean Rosovsky. If the case is termed "of great seriousness," then Rosovsky will meet with the professor implicated and decide whether to discipline the faculty member. Dean Rosovsky notes he has three courses of action open to him if he finds a complaint is justified. He may officially reprimand a professor; formally charge him before the Corporation, which may revoke his tenure; or place him on a medical leave of absence.

Dean Fox says once students have a chance to talk about their experiences, "they often don't find it necessary to proceed to an official complaint." He added that simply recognizing that the problem exists is new at the University. He recalls how a generation ago it was assumed a sexual harassment victim would deal with the problem on their own.

The procedure appears in the student handbook, in information for instructors and the Graduate School bulletin. Walzer has distributed copies to senior tutors and senior advisers and informed the mental health services department of the University Health Services (UHS). Nevertheless, the information is slow in filtering down to students.

Although most semior tutors and senior advisers know about the procedure, many proctors have only a vague notion of the options open to students. In UHS, Nadia B. Gould, who counsels students on sex-related problems, says she is unaware of any officially-approved procedure, although she would probably refer them to Walzer. Walzer says although she reviewed the procedure with proctors in 1978, she may need to go over the process more frequently to make sure proctors know where to send students for advice.

Mary Holland '81, who works at the Women's Clearinghouse, established this year to offer information on women's issues, says many students are unaware that Walzer is the dean to seek out on these issues.

Consequently, many students--particularly freshman--who experience sexual harassment do not know where to go for help. Many feel isolated and frustrated by the feeling they cannot turn to any adult.

Loree L. Farrar '81 recalls her helplessness after visiting a professor's office last year. He approached her as she left the office and "gave me a slobbering kiss on the mouth." She backed out the door and ran out. Farrar did not report the incident even though he telephoned her throughout the year to ask her out for lunch. She continued to refuse, pretending not to recognize the sexual implications, hoping he would finally give up. Farrar says she did not go to a dean because she though "it would have been his (the professor's) word against mine."

Farrar says she did not know that Walzer's responsibilities included handling sexual harassment cases. "If I had known there had been a place to go, I would have gone, "Farrar says adding she is considering filing a complaint now, if only to show the administration "this is not an isolated incident." If she had known that other women experience sexual harassment, she says she would "have felt much more comfortable about filing a complaint."

Many students naturally turn to a senior tutor for help, but women have found their tutors' reactions differ remarkably. Some senior tutors will advise their students to work it out with the professor before filing a complaint, but many women respond that they rarely feel emotionally ready to negotiate with an authority figure who clearly has the academic upper hand. Stephen R. Lundeen, senior tutor at Dunster House, points out that often advisers will argue, "Look, this is the real world. That's life, you have to learn to cope with it." Lundeen says he usually tries to stay out of it, referring the problem to Walzer.

Laura Gordon Fisher, senior tutor of Eliot House, says she has handled several cases, observing although she hasn't had very many cases, "that doesn't mean it doesn't go on." As a senior tutor for seven years, Fisher recalls a time when "one didn't hear very much about it, at least not in the senior tutor's office." Fisher says she believes setting up an official channel is useful, if only because it establishes that sexual harassment is a recognized problem.

The student cited in the introduction, whose professor harassed her at breakfast and in class, received no encouragement from her senior tutor when she turned to him for help.

When she told him she wanted to drop the course, he asked her how she would explain a withdrawal notation on her transcript to graduate school interviewers. She replied she would tell them exactly what happened; the senior tutor looked skeptical and challenged, "Don't you think you are standing on shaky ground?"