UW Fires Professor After Misconduct Allegations

SEATTLE — A University of Washington professor, employed for nearly 30 years, has been stripped of his tenure and fired more than a year after an internal investigation found inappropriate conduct with students, according to a UW spokesperson.

As Patch reported last October, John Sahr, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was accused of "inappropriate sexual contact" involving a 17-year-old undergraduate student at the Robinson Center for Young Scholars while he was head of the program. An internal investigation also confirmed a relationship with a graduate student, which the university said violated its conflict of interest policies. A spokesperson said both incidents took place "several years ago."

After the initial findings, the school placed Sahr on home assignment, barred him from campus and prohibited him from interacting with students. The university then initiated adjudication proceedings, which concluded in mid-November 2020.

Ultimately, Sahr had his tenure status revoked and was formally terminated on Nov. 12.

Victor Balta, a University of Washington spokesperson, provided Patch the following statement Thursday:

“In October 2019, the University of Washington shared information about the results of a University Complaint Investigation and Resolution Office (UCIRO) investigation into alleged sexual misconduct on the part of John Sahr, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and former interim director of the Robinson Center for Young Scholars. Sahr was immediately placed on home assignment and prohibited from engaging with students or coming to campus and the inquiry began immediately after the allegations were reported to the University. The investigation found inappropriate conduct with students, including a 17-year-old undergraduate who was associated with the Robinson Center. Sahr’s conduct violated Executive Order 31 (the UW’s policy regarding sexual misconduct and other forms of harassment) and the UW’s conflict of interest policies.

“Due to the seriousness of the findings of the investigation and pursuant to the University’s faculty code, the Provost initiated a comprehensive adjudication proceeding for tenure removal and termination. The adjudication proceeding has concluded and Sahr’s employment was terminated on Nov. 12, and his tenure has been revoked.

“As we stated previously, the safety of our community is the UW’s highest priority, and this type of conduct cannot be tolerated. While there continues to be no evidence that leads us to believe there are additional students, faculty or staff who were impacted by Sahr’s actions, resources are being provided to students and departments in which Sahr was most directly involved to provide them with needed support and avenues to safely report anything that has not already been made known.

“The decision to terminate any employee is one the University takes with great care and seriousness. The investigation and adjudication process is designed to ensure thorough consideration before a conclusion is reached. This process led to Sahr’s termination, and this action upholds our commitment to providing a safe environment for all students and employees.”