The case, which is being heard by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, centers around the First Amendment rights of free speech and the right to privacy. The former chancellor, James E. “Jim” Doyle, argues that his actions, while controversial, were protected by his First Amendment rights.
The committee’s report, which was released in August, detailed how Gow’s actions violated university policies and ethical guidelines. The report also highlighted the potential harm to the university’s reputation and the students’ trust. Gow’s videos, which were posted on YouTube, gained significant popularity, attracting millions of viewers. However, the committee’s investigation revealed that Gow’s videos were not solely educational in nature.
The case involves a former employee of the University of California, Berkeley, who was fired for alleged misconduct. The employee, identified as a professor, was accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. The professor, whose name has not been released, was fired in 2022. The university conducted an investigation and found evidence of misconduct.
The school is pushing to fire Gow for unethical conduct, insubordination for refusing to cooperate with an investigation and violating computer policies. The UW-La Crosse employee handbook requires faculty to “exhibit a level of behavior supporting the university mission.” Gow has maintained that he and his wife produced the pornographic materials on their own time. He insists the videos and the books never mentioned UW-La Crosse or his role at the university. However, Gow was criticized in 2018 for inviting porn actor Nina Hartley to speak on campus. She was paid $5,000 out of student fees to appear. He developed the idea of bringing her to campus after shooting a pornographic video with her, the university said.
Gow and his wife’s e-books were written under pseudonyms: “Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationship” and “Married with Benefits — Our Real-Life Adult Industry Adventures.” But they also star in a YouTube channel called “Sexy Healthy Cooking” in which the couple cooks meals with porn actors. Gow’s hope to return to teaching in the classroom is opposed by his department chair, Linda Dickmeyer. She said that because Gow has not taught for 20 years, he would be assigned general education courses, but she opposes allowing him to return to teaching in any role.
