8 women sue former University of Michigan professor for sexual misconduct

Former students of ex-University of Michigan professor have sexual misconduct claims

A number of former students of Bruce Conforth have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct - and say the school covered it up.

FOX 2 (WJBK) - Amelia Brown is one of eight women suing the University of Michigan and its former professor Bruce Conforth - accusing him of rape, harassment, and unwanted sexual advances and U-M mishandling complaints about his actions.

"In those closed-door office hours, Bruce forcibly kissed me and groped me and from that point on, he aggressively pursued and harassed me via email, social media, and even showing up at my workplace," she said.

Katherine McMahan says she first told U-M about Conforth in 2008.

"The university had the opportunity to take action 14 years ago and they chose to pay lip service and turn a blind eye as his behavior grew more egregious and violent. Bruce went from assaulting me in a bar to raping women in his office," said McMahan.

U-M's new President Santa Ono has said addressing sexual misconduct at the university is one of his top priorities - and these Michigan grads are holding him to it.

"President Ono, the university dismissed us in court. will you do the same or will you meet with us and make this right?" said Kristen Beecy.

The women’s presser comes a week after a court of claims judge dismissed one of two sex assault and harassment cases against the professor, U-M, and its board of regents, saying the women waited more than two years to take legal action.

"It is an outdated law, it doesn’t protect survivors - it protects institutions," said Daniel Barnett, Grewal Law.

Barnett, their lawyer, says they’re appealing that decision and the law, which mandates that a two-year window places far too much on the shoulders of victims.

"They expect 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds to not only know they were abused, to process that they were sexually abused, but then to also have the wherewithal to say, ‘Oh yeah, so I can sue the person that did it and the university,'" Barnett said/

The legal team that represents Conforth and the university was unavailable for comment. Some U-M administrators watched the press conference Friday.

The university had this to say when asked for a comment:

"We will continue to speak in the courts with the parties and their attorneys."

There is still another lawsuit pending in Washtenaw County Circuit Court alleging Civil Rights violations.

It's unclear how the court of claims decision will affect that suit.