I am required to take an online course on “Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors” here at UCSD, and it is full of case studies with ridiculous names like “Manny Mozart” (for the Music Department) and Pierre Rodin (for French). Here was one which seemed quite strange to me:

Several male faculty in the predominately male Department of Human Studies invite a new male faculty member to Hooters for lunch, explaining that this is a bonding event for the “guys” every Friday. Professor Fellowman attends at first, but is uncomfortable with the setting, behavior and discussion during these lunches, and refuses subsequent requests to attend.

The department chair tells Professor Fellowman that he will not do well in the department if he cannot develop relationships with his fellow faculty members. Professor Fellowman is subsequently assigned to teach the largest and most unpopular courses, and is shunned by his male peers. Eventually, he suffers an unfavorable departmental merit review.

Case Study: Does Professor Fellowman have a claim of sexual harassment?

I am having a hard time imagining a department at a UC for which the regular faculty outing would be to Hooters (although the world is full of surprises). According to Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc. (1998) this would constitute sexual harassment (which seems obvious). But would it have hurt to come up with a more likely example?