Woman accuses UW System of failing to stop harassment

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student has filed a federal lawsuit alleged UW System officials failed to prevent the school’s chancellor’s husband from sexually harassing her and other women.

Stephanie Goettl Vander Pas filed the lawsuit Tuesday. She argues UW-Whitewater violated Title IX, a federal law designed to protect students and employees from sexual misconduct on college campuses. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.

The lawsuit contends UW-Whitewater employees knew Hill had a history of sexually harassing women but failed to take any action, needlessly exposing female students and employees to his behavior.

UW System spokesman Mark Pitsch declined comment on the lawsuit.

Vander Pas in 2018 publicly accused Alan Hill, husband of UW-Whitewater’s then-chancellor, Beverly Kopper, of sexually harassment.

Ray Cross, who was the UW System president at the time, banned Hill from the Whitewater campus and stripped him of is job as Kopper’s associate in response to other allegations that Hill had sexually harassed several women dating back to 2015.

Hill denied any wrongdoing. Kopper resigned later that year.