2008 Woodie Awards
Terrorism expert resigns amid sexual harassment investigation
Summer 2008 terrorism workshop to take place at University
JUANITA COUSINS
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: News
|
Assistant professor Stephen Shellman told The Red & Black on Monday he tendered his resignation on March 7, but it will not take effect until the end of April. He declined to comment further.
Known for his expertise in terrorism, Shellman also is a faculty associate in the Department of Government at the College of William & Mary. Efforts to reach acting department chair Clay Clemens were unsuccessful Monday.
School of Public and International Affairs Dean Thomas Lauth declined to comment Monday because "the matter is still pending with legal affairs."
Open records manager Mitch Clayton wrote in an e-mail to The Red & Black on March 11 that the documents are exempt from release until the investigation has been concluded.
Shellman co-directs the Summer Workshop on Teaching about Terrorism, an annual short-course which "introduces academics to new and innovative techniques utilized to teach terrorism and provides access to high-level officials working in the intelligence, and [counter terrorism] fields," according to its Web site.
The free workshop is open to college-level faculty and graduate students. Terrorism experts teach the sessions and undergraduate students from the University assist.
In 2007, the short-course was held at the University of Maryland, Morehouse College and Oklahoma University. This year's sessions are schedule to be held at the University of Georgia and the University of Oklahoma in June.
Shellman, a University alumnus who returned as a professor in 2005, directs the Violent Intranational Political Conflict and Terrorism Laboratory. He also is a recipient of the National Science Foundation grant to fund his Project Civil Strife and support a CURO summer fellow, according to a 2006 news release.
According to his University Web page that has been removed, Shellman teaches University courses on terrorism and political violence and focuses his research on forced migration and the effects of disease on national security.
He is a visiting fellow and post-doctoral fellow at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism & Responses to Terrorism Center of Excellence of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at the University of Maryland and consults for the United States Institute of Peace.
The professor, a former drummer for the bands World Soul and Glass, has performed in many downtown establishments including DT's, Flanagan's, the Georgia Theatre and the 40 Watt Club.
- Contributing: Kristen Coulter
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 17
sexual seduction
posted 3/18/08 @ 10:01 AM EST
Seriously another douche bag professor doing this stuff? WTF
Prof and alum
posted 3/18/08 @ 11:20 AM EST
This is the fourth one, if I'm counting right. Has anyone noticed that we're losing capable faculty members and sometimes entire specialties?
Clearer policies and better management could prevent these incidents before they happen. (Continued…)
wtf
posted 3/18/08 @ 12:19 PM EST
shellman was a badass prof...is sexual harassment really all that bad? i mean...come on
Mike Wright
posted 3/18/08 @ 4:09 PM EST
Were the people he was molesting males or females? The article doesn't say. The media usually informs us if it is male-on-female harassment being reported, but they protect homosexuals, as if they could do no wrong and were always victims. (Continued…)
Matthew Keiss
posted 3/18/08 @ 5:11 PM EST
While I do not know any of the specifics of this case, I do know that Shellman was the most knowledgable, motivating, and interesting professor I have had at the University. (Continued…)
MS
posted 3/18/08 @ 5:13 PM EST
Even if he was a good professor he should not have had done whatever he did. It is not an easy decision to press charges against anybody leave alone your professor. (Continued…)
Amir Ghiai
posted 3/18/08 @ 8:46 PM EST
I'm a former student of Dr Shellman's, as well as a former employee, and I'm more than a bit surprised by this. Dr Shellman is an incredible professor, and working for him is/was a great experience. (Continued…)
previous female student
posted 3/18/08 @ 9:52 PM EST
Professor Shelman was one of the coolest prof Ive had at UGA. I spent countless hours with him one on one during his office hours and he was never anything but completely professional. (Continued…)
another previous student
posted 3/18/08 @ 11:59 PM EST
Yes, I'm another one of Shellman's former students - and I'm in complete shock. He was and is an incredible professor, not just in his particular specialty in international affairs, but in the community of experts on terrorism (as in the study of it, not practice, obviously). (Continued…)
by the way
posted 3/19/08 @ 12:13 AM EST
Just because there was an ALLEGATION does NOT constitute guilt. Or perhaps you should re-take POLS 1101. Innocent until proven guilty, unless you've forgotten. (Continued…)
Post a Comment