Ohio University officials in March dismissed a sexual-harassment complaint against Larry Nighswander, School of Visual Communications director, after a four-month investigation into his studio conduct with nude student models posing for photographs.
But after Becky Humes, an OU senior and visual communication major, filed a $3 million lawsuit against Nighswander and the university in April, the university demoted Nighswander from director to professor.
Humes filed a formal complaint in November with OU's Office of Institutional Equity. The complaint detailed a Sept. 24 Putnam Hall photo shoot in which Humes agreed to pose as part of Nighswander's photography work with models. She wrote in her complaint that she was not aware the photo shoot required her to remove her clothing.
Humes complained that Nighswander created an "uncomfortable" environment during the photo shoot by commenting on her body, and after she removed her sweater, touching her breast and hugging her.
Nighswander denied Humes' account.
"I'm not a mind reader," he said. "I don't know why she did this."
In mid-May, College of Communication Dean Kathy Krendl implemented a new policy that would ban nude modeling in the college, which governs the visual communication school.
The policy allows for exemptions, but it widely bans the use of nude student models and specifically prohibits "isolated one-on-one (student to faculty) situations, in which students are performing as models/actors/creative talent."
It also requires photographers or producers to explain to clothed models the purpose and compensation for a session beforehand. Models would have to sign a release form to confirm the material's use.
The rules came almost three weeks after Humes filed a $3 million lawsuit against the university April 25.
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Jeremy Boren
