UW-La Crosse student speaks out after sexual harassment complaint

Uw-La Crosse student Caycee bean said she hopes her harasser is permanently removed from the university’s faculty.

That was part of the statement she released about a week after her viral Facebook post about a UW-La Crosse professor’s sexual advances toward her.

Bean filed a report with the University in March of 2019 about the incident that happened years prior.

It stated that Joel Elgin, chair of the art department, offered her private drawing lessons. During one of those lessons, she said Elgin cornered her in a locked paper closet, asked her to remove some clothing and touched her.

When the Fall 2019 semester began, Bean said she received no update from the university about the incident. Once she contacted UW-L, she was told the lack of communication was an oversight. The university instructed Elgin not to have contact with Bean.

She said since little to no action was taken, and she felt the matter was closed, she shared her story on Facebook. Elgin was then placed on leave.

Bean believed, if not for the public interest in her story, he would not be under investigation. She challenged the university to change its policy for processing complaints.

Read Bean’s full statement below.