Harvard told students on Saturday that a professor who represents Harvey Weinstein in court will not return as faculty dean at one of the college’s undergraduate residential houses.
Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana emailed students and staff Saturday to say that professor Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., who represents Weinstein, and his wife Stephanie Robinson, a Harvard lecturer, would no longer be faculty deans after their term ends in June, according to The New York Times.
He said in the email that “ a number of considerations” went into the decision.
{mosads} “Over the last few weeks, students and staff have continued to communicate concerns about the climate in Winthrop House to the college,” he wrote. “The concerns expressed have been serious and numerous. The actions that have been taken to improve the climate have been ineffective, and the noticeable lack of faculty dean presence during critical moments has further deteriorated the climate in the house. I have concluded that the situation in the house is untenable.”
According to The Times, the change does affect their other positions at the school.
Robinson and Sullivan told The Hill in a statement on Saturday they were “surprised and dismayed” by the announcement.
“We believed the discussions we were having with high level University representatives were progressing in a positive manner, but Harvard unilaterally ended those talks,” they said. “We will now take some time to process Harvard’s actions and consider our options.”
“We are sorry that Harvard’s actions and the controversy surrounding us has contributed to the stress on Winthrop students at this already stressful time,” they added.
Students were upset by Sullivan’s decision to join Weinstein’s defense team in January, according to The Times. Students protested his presence after he joined the team. Weinstein is expected to undergo a trial on rape and other charges in June.