The Red & Black

A rare dismissal hearing alleging economics professor Nadeem Naqvi sexually harassed one of his students begins today.
Naqvi’s tenure revocation hearing is based on charges of sexual harassment, canceling class and preventing at least one student from graduating on time.
Naqvi allegedly groped a student in his 4000-level microeconomics class on Sept. 11, 1998, while at a downtown bar and asked her for “dope,” according to the attorney general’s office, which will prosecute the case.
“We have never said that no events of any sort occurred on the evening of Sept. 11,” said Curtis Shoemaker, Naqvi’s attorney. “(Naqvi) was there, he had been drinking — and certainly to excess — and he doesn’t have a clear memory of things. But he did nothing that violated the sexual- harassment policy of the Board of Regents.”
Naqvi has said he didn’t have any physical contact with the student. Two or three witnesses who were at the bar with Naqvi may testify, said Shoemaker, who wouldn’t say how many witnesses would testify for the defense.
As for the charge of preventing a student from graduating by not returning his paper, Shoemaker said Naqvi didn’t violate regents policy because it doesn’t require a time frame for grading papers.
“The University has to prove its case by a preponderance of evidence — the same as civil cases,” said Andrew Newton, legal counsel from the Medical College of Georgia to the faculty committee that will act as jury. “You have to prove that the evidence is more convincing on one side than the other.”
The venue setup will be similar, but the hearing isn’t bound by the rules of a civil court. Many of the procedures are similar, Shoemaker said.
“The rules of evidence are not as strictly enforced as in a judicial proceeding,” Shoemaker said April 14. “Witnesses will testify under oath and the panel will make a decision based on Board of Regents’ policies.”
Up to 32 witnesses will testify for the state, according to documents from the attorney general’s office. Witnesses can’t be forced to testify in a non-court proceeding.
The alleged victim of Naqvi’s sexual harassment has not yet come forward to testify, but when contacted by The Red & Black several weeks ago, she said she would take the stand.
The open hearing starts at 8:30 a.m. in the Hatton-Lovejoy Courtroom in the law school, and will probably last at least three days, said Beth Bailey, the University’s lawyer.
Five appointed faculty members will act as the jury and make a recommendation to the University president, according to regents policy. The faculty committee could recommend dismissal, lesser penalties or nothing at all. Any decision can be appealed to the regents.
“They want to keep a tight schedule to get the hearing done on time,” Bailey said.
Naqvi is a tenured professor employed by the University since 1987. He makes $61,138 yearly.