“Hunter-CUNY Believe It Or Not” — Open Letter to Stuart Ewen, Erstwhile Chair of the Department of Film and Media Studies, Hunter College (Edited for Errors, April 28, 2020)

I want to know what you think of the allegations that a Colleague teaching in the Department of Film and Media Studies graduate program, Integrated Media Arts MFA, sexually harassed five female students. I also want to know your opinion about the scuttlebutt that the department and the administration are involved in a committed coverup.

The department has a PR-type-person on retainer just in case. Your thoughts?

Your rep as a guru of public relations is one of the reasons I’m querying you. And the other is that you came up with the game plan for Integrated Media Arts MFA in the department several years ago when the existence of the then graduate program had been threatened by a provost. Improve this atavistic contraption or else. That might be an exaggeration but you get the point. I recall how Bob was freaked out.

Granted, you’re no longer Chair but Everyone-in-the-Know (and Everyone-Who-Thinks-They’re-in-the-Know) believe you still exert considerable influence in the department.

I recall several trade publications a while way back quoting you at length about the academic freedom…