Professor Arthur Miller plays hide and seek

[Piper]

Professor Arthur Miller has been missing for 2 days now and police have been combing a 198 acre park for him. They are concerned that he may harm himself or others in the area and have spent the last 48 hours searching for him. They found his car near the park when his wife contacted the police after finding an assortment of items which lead her to believe that Miller was going to commit suicide. It seems that the Professor had updated his will, cleared out his safety deposit box and bought a high-powered rifle all within a couple of months.

Now you may be wondering what it was that pushed him over the edge. It seems that the Professor has been utilizing some new creative grading techniques in his Poli-Sci course at the University of Iowa. Allegations have been made by at least 4 women that he traded cheap thrills for improved grades.

They still haven't located the Miller but his family has released a statement indicating that they think he has taken his own life. They've opened the park to the public and have taken the school in the area off lock-down.

Here's where it gets sticky. Professor Miller has worked at the University of Iowa since 1985 and makes a decent salary ($123,500/year) and is very well respected by his peers and community. But lately due to the allegations he has been on the evening news about every night. The University has put him on paid administrative leave until the investigation has completed.

My question for you is- should the media have gone after him as much as they did for his wrong doings? Or is that big of a deal as all of the students were adults and consented to the sexual activity (fondling, licking, exposing of breasts- sounds like he had quite the fetish)? Is it abuse of power? Or are the women now just feeling guilty after the fact?

Here's the family's statement:
http://www.kcrg.com/home/related/27238979.html

Articles:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080812/NEWS02/808120371/0/THEMES

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/27193294.html

[michelle]

Let's just hope he is dead, save eververyone the embarrsement.

[Unamused Cat]

They think they have found his body.

owa City, Ia. -- A hiker found a body in Iowa City's Hickory Hill Park early this afternoon.

Police say it's likely Arthur Miller, a University of Iowa political science professor who disappeared into the park Tuesday with a high-powered rifle. Miller, 66, is facing bribery charges alleging he solicited sexual favors from female students in exchange for better grades.
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"There's a body in the park," said Iowa City Police Sgt. Mike Brotherton.

Later, Brotherton said, although there was no positive identification of the body, "Everything at this time points to it being Mr. Miller."

Brotherton said the body was found in a secluded portion of the 185-acre wooded park, wearing green shorts and a dark green shirt, similar to what Miller was reportedly wearing when he disappeared. Near the body was a yellow blanket. Miller was last seen walking into the park Tuesday morning with a yellow blanket. A rifle was found under the body, but Brotherton said it hadn't been confirmed whether it was the same one purchased recently by Miller.

Officers are now trying to identify the body, he said. Brotherton did not have information on the cause of death but said there was some "trauma to the head" and that suicide was a possibility. He said an investigative team has been called in and an autopsy will likely take place tonight or Monday.

Brotherton said Miller's family had been notified.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080824/NEWS/80824011

[katyk]

My question for you is- should the media have gone after him as much as they did for his wrong doings? Or is that big of a deal as all of the students were adults and consented to the sexual activity (fondling, licking, exposing of breasts- sounds like he had quite the fetish)? Is it abuse of power? Or are the women now just feeling guilty after the fact?

I think it's an abuse of power, sure. But as long as it was consensual, then he shouldn't haven't have been shamed like he was.

It seems like his career, his reputation as a leading scholar and educator, and family were the most important things to him. Those things were probably destroyed and he couldn't bear it.

I know for a fact this happens a lot in college. I never did anything like that, but I have friends who have. I don't agree with it, but sleeping with the prof for an A is nothing new.

[andrea]

My question for you is- should the media have gone after him as much as they did for his wrong doings? Or is that big of a deal as all of the students were adults and consented to the sexual activity (fondling, licking, exposing of breasts- sounds like he had quite the fetish)? Is it abuse of power? Or are the women now just feeling guilty after the fact?

Whether they were consenting adults has nothing to do with this situation. Neither does any remorse. He commited a federal crime, abused his power, and generally acted in a unethical douchebag manner. If you are in a position of authority and respect and you don't want the media latching on to your crimes and scandals, DON'T FUCKING DO IT! Scrutiny comes with notoriety and prestige.

This was a man who obviously lived and died selfishly. He broke the law and defamed his school, family, and friends all without giving a shit. Then when he was going to have to face the legal and social consequences of this actions he did the most selfish thing possible and offed himself. I have no sympathy for him, only for those he hurt.

[Abroad]

I think it's an abuse of power, sure. But as long as it was consensual, then he shouldn't haven't have been shamed like he was.

It seems like his career, his reputation as a leading scholar and educator, and family were the most important things to him. Those things were probably destroyed and he couldn't bear it.

I know for a fact this happens a lot in college. I never did anything like that, but I have friends who have. I don't agree with it, but sleeping with the prof for an A is nothing new.


If it is abuse of power, then it was not consensual. He was coercing them, and how do we know that the women were not in fear that he would punish them by lower grades than they really deserved if they refused him?

Since his career, his reputation and family were so important to him, I am quite pleased to learn that he was shamed publically. He deserved it. It was all his own doing, and if he could not bear the humiliation, he should never have started down that path.

And Katyk, - I am rather shocked to hear that this is common in the US. While clearly is has happened, if your friends have done it, I am sort of hoping that some of your country-men and -women will tell us you are mistaken about it happening "a lot" in college...........

[katyk]

And Katyk, - I am rather shocked to hear that this is common in the US. While clearly is has happened, if your friends have done it, I am sort of hoping that some of your country-men and -women will tell us you are mistaken about it happening "a lot" in college...........

I know, I was shocked to hear it from my friends too. By college, I mean University, too. I was engaged to an englishman way back when, so I just wanted to clarify for our british friends. I had 2 friends claim to have these encounters for two difficult classes, and they were 22-23 when it happened. Who knows, they could be lying too. I don't know why they would, but ya never know.

[Abroad]

I am not certain how I feel about people putting out for better grades. I do know that it is unethical for a professor to abuse his position like that........

Creep!

[Piper]

Heck this sort of thing happened when I was in high school. Everyone knew that if you were a pretty girl and took economics you could get an A if you went on a "boat ride" with the teacher. It was a common thing. There were 2 teachers and an assistant principal who did this frequently. In fact the Assistant Principal knocked up a 16 year old and resigned. He works in Arizona now.

There will always be women/girls out there willing to disgrace themselves for a quick buck or easy A. As long as the people are out there these sorts of things will continue. Sure what he did was wrong but these girls assenting to it and then reporting it later is somewhat a "breach of contract" in my eyes. No I never did this nor did I have friends that did (or at least to my knowledge). But I think the fault lies with those women students too.

[katyk]

Thanks, Piper. I was starting to think I was going crazy. I am sure it works the other way around too, male students with women professors.

What Andrea said about it being about this guy livng and dying selfishly, he did. But we are all weak humans, and as long as he didn't kill, rape, or hurt anyone, then he shouldn't be condemned. I save that for all the baby rapers and murderers we read about on D'D every day.

[Abroad]

The inequality of the situation in itself is enough for me to put the blame squarely on the professor. He has a certain measure of power over his students even if they are adults, and it is unethical to use that power to black-mail them into performing sexual acts for him. It is unethical at the very least.

And if we leave ethics out of it for a moment: How stupid would a professor have to be to put himself in that situation anyway?

[Abroad]

But we are all weak humans, and as long as he didn't kill, rape, or hurt anyone, then he shouldn't be condemned. I save that for all the baby rapers and murderers we read about on D'D every day.

Too bad he could not be that forgiving of himself, huh? :tongue:

[katyk]

The inequality of the situation in itself is enough for me to put the blame squarely on the professor. He has a certain measure of power over his students even if they are adults, and it is unethical to use that power to black-mail them into performing sexual acts for him. It is unethical at the very least.

I agree with you, but what you're forgetting is the likelihood that these women could also coerce the professor into those situations too. The fault doesn't necessarily fall squarely on him. I think we all know that a woman's sexuality can manipulate many a man. They could have approached him, for all we know.

And as an adult who is a college grad, if some pervy prof approached me with a proposition like that, i would have told him to shove his A up his ass and report him to administration. There WERE other options for them besides getting on their knees.

[katyk]

Too bad he could not be that forgiving of himself, huh? :tongue:

Well, yeah, sadly that's the case most of the time.

[Abroad]

I think we all know that a woman's sexuality can manipulate many a man.

I wish I felt that powerful :tongue:





And I am aware that they could have - should have - gone to the administration and filed a complaint; but that would still have been his word against theirs, and they might have feared repercussions. I can remember being skint as a student and feeling powerless. Fortunately, I never met a predatory prof at university.

[michelle]

I wish I felt that powerful :tongue:

And I am aware that they could have - should have - gone to the administration and filed a complaint; but that would still have been his word against theirs, and they might have feared repercussions. I can remember being skint as a student and feeling powerless. Fortunately, I never met a predatory prof at university.

Shit woman, embrace your power. You have it. We all do. :) *smack*

[andrea]

What Andrea said about it being about this guy livng and dying selfishly, he did. But we are all weak humans, and as long as he didn't kill, rape, or hurt anyone, then he shouldn't be condemned. I save that for all the baby rapers and murderers we read about on D'D every day.

But he did kill someone. That's where the biggest part of my distain comes from. Think about how bad his suicide devastated his family. Suicide hurts survivors more than homicide many times because they blame themselves. He did it because he didn't want to face felony bribery charges and because he was selfish and didn't give a shit about anyone else. This guy was a criminal and a piece of shit!