Former UWO Student Files Federal Lawsuit Against Former Professor, Board of Regents

A former UW-Oshkosh student is filing a federal lawsuit
against a former assistant art professor and the Board of Regents – claiming
the professor engaged her in an “emotionally abusive sexual relationship”. The
suit alleges that her rights were violated under the Title Nine and Equal
Protection Clause of the 14^th Amendment.

 The former student claims
she withdrew from school in spring of 2014 due to “severe depression and
deterioration in her physical and mental health” caused by a coerced
relationship. She attended art classes taught by Michael Beitz and worked as an
assistant for about two years. 

She also claims he continued to make unwanted
advances – and she filed several complaints about his behavior over the course
of 2014, but he continued to “intimidate and harass” her. The university issued
a report in 2015 that he had violated a consensual relationships and sexual
harassment policy – but the Board of Regents never took formal action against
him.