A Harvard Law professor is facing calls to resign after he agreed to represent Harvey Weinstein.
Earlier in February, more than 50 students protested, demanding that Ronald Sullivan Jr. resign as dean of Winthrop House, one of Harvard’s residential houses, the university’s newspaper reported.
One student said it was impossible for Sullivan to show that he cared about victims of sexual assault and at the same time serve as legal counsel for one of the first men accused as part of the #MeToo movement.
“You are a faculty dean, not just an attorney,” the student said of Sullivan.
Sullivan was the first black man to serve as a faculty dean.
“What has been made especially clear is that you have failed us,” the Association of Black Harvard Women wrote in a letter to Sullivan, according to Reason. “You have failed the Black women in this community, not only as one of the few Black Faculty Deans on campus but also as a community leader — someone who we respected and looked to for guidance.”
Harvard’s administration agreed to conduct a review of Sullivan and says it is taking student concerns seriously.
“I take seriously the concerns that have been raised from members of the College community regarding the impact of Professor Sullivan’s choice to serve as counsel for Harvey Weinstein on the House community that he is responsible for leading as a faculty dean,” Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana said. “I have also met with Professor Sullivan to discuss his responsibilities to the House and have communicated that the College believes that more work must be done to uphold our commitment to the well-being of our students.”
In the past, Sullivan also represented former NFL player Aaron Hernandez, who was later convicted of murder.
