The Board of Regents of the Universities of Wisconsin voted unanimously Friday to fire a communications professor who sought to retain his tenure after resigning as chancellor of one of the system’s campuses. for making pornographic films.
Joe Gow, who served as chancellor of UW-La Crosse for nearly 17 years, argued last week that he should be allowed to keep a teaching job on campus. But attorneys for the university argued that he was unethical, violated the terms of his employment, damaged the university’s reputation and disrupted its mission.
The regents met behind closed doors Friday morning before publicly voting to fire Gow. There was no discussion in open session before the council voted.
Gow has been on paid leave from his adjunct faculty position since the regents dismissed him as chancellor in 2023shortly after university leaders became aware of the videos, which were posted on pornographic websites. The case has received national attention, both because of the ostentatiousness of a high-profile university official making pornographic films and talking about them publicly, and because of the questions it raises about the right to free speech.
Gow argued that his videos and two e-books he and his wife Carmen published about their experiences in adult films are protected by the First Amendment. The university’s attorney countered that Gow’s videos themselves are legal, but they are not protected speech under his employment contract.
Gow said Friday he plans to file a lawsuit against the university and accused the regents of suppressing his right to free speech. He emphasized in a statement that he produced the pornography on his own time, without reference to the university system, and questioned the system’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression.
“The people who fired me today are not a ‘Board of Regents’, they are a ‘Board of Hypocrites,’” Gow said in the statement. “They have zero credibility on freedom of speech and expression.”
Zach Greenberg, an attorney at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, called the regents’ decision “a major blow to academic freedom and the right to free speech.”
“FIRE has said time and time again: Public universities cannot sacrifice the First Amendment to protect their reputations,” Greenberg said. “We are disappointed that UW has caved to donors and politicians by throwing a tenured professor under the bus.”
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman has worked since taking the job in 2022 to navigate thorny relationships with Republican lawmakers who view the system as a liberal hotbed. Last year, the GOP forced the system to scale back its diversity initiatives.
Rothman has been careful not to further alienate Conservatives as he sought support for an $855 million increase for the system in the next state budget. Earlier this month, his administration ordered university leaders to maintain neutral positions in their public statements. Retaining Gow in any capacity could open the system to more Republican criticism and torpedo any chance of securing the additional funding.
Gow was criticized in 2018 for inviting porn actor Nina Hartley to speak on campus. She was paid $5,000 from student fees to appear. He came up with the idea to bring her to campus after shooting a pornographic video with her, the university said.
Gow and his wife’s e-books are written under pseudonyms: “Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationship” and “Married with Benefits – Our Real Adventures in the Adult Industry.” But they also star in a YouTube channel called ‘Sexy Healthy Cooking’, in which the couple cooks meals with porn actors.
Gow has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in communications. He was director of the communications studies program at Alfred University in upstate New York in the 1990s and earned the school’s Excellence in Teaching Award three times.
But UW-La Crosse communications department chair Linda Dickmeyer opposed Gow’s return to the classroom. She said that because Gow hasn’t taught in 20 years, he should receive general education courses, but she is opposed to having him teach in any role.
