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Harvard University and three of its graduate students have reached a settlement in a high-profile federal lawsuit involving allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation by a notable professor.
The lawsuit, filed in 2022, accused Harvard of failing to address multiple complaints of sexual harassment against John Comaroff, a professor of anthropology and African and African American studies. The plaintiffs claimed that Comaroff intimidated them by threatening to hinder their professional progress.
According to a recent order by federal Magistrate Judge Judith Dein, the case was dismissed with prejudice, which prevents the plaintiffs from filing the same claims in the future. The dismissal also did not impose any court costs. However, the terms of the settlement remain confidential.
Attorneys for the students applauded their clients’ bravery in coming forward with their stories and spotlighting critical issues of harassment and retaliation in academia. “We are pleased that our clients can now move on with their lives and careers,” said Sanford Heisler Sharp, the law firm representing the students.
The lawsuit outlined various allegations against Comaroff, including claims of repeated unwanted sexual advances dating back to 2017. One student alleged that Comaroff made inappropriate comments regarding her sexual orientation and potential dangers she might face in Africa, should she travel there with a same-sex partner. Two other plaintiffs reported that Comaroff threatened their career prospects after they filed complaints with university authorities.
Comaroff, who was not named as a defendant in the case, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His legal representatives stated that he “categorically denies ever harassing or retaliating against any student” and maintained that his actions were in the best interest of the students’ safety and career advancement. In a July statement coinciding with his retirement announcement from Harvard, Comaroff described the lawsuit’s allegations as exaggerated and refuted the charges based on a Harvard investigation that largely found him not culpable.
Harvard’s response to the lawsuit noted that Comaroff was placed on administrative leave after internal investigations concluded that his verbal conduct breached the university’s policies on sexual, gender-based, and professional conduct.
Despite arguments from Harvard’s legal team to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds of expired statute of limitations and lack of merit for certain claims, the case proceeded to mediation in November 2022.
As of Friday, there were no immediate responses from the legal representatives of Comaroff and Harvard University regarding the settlement.
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