Category: Filed complaints

Account from Richard Grusin, Former Wayne State Department of English Chair, Professor at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

"I am extremely troubled, as I presume you must be as well, by the fact that in just over a year of your tenure as interim chair, Barrett Watten has engaged in three instances of verbal and emotional violence against women in the department--a staff member, a graduate student, and a full professor, the last of which you witnessed yourself. These incidents have created a hostile atmosphere in the department, particularly but not exclusively for untenured female faculty."
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An account from Molli Spalter, current Wayne State PhD student

I want to reiterate that because of these interactions with Barrett, particularly when he approached me outside State Hall, I am afraid to be alone on the 9th floor, worried that I may encounter him and be subjected to physical and emotional intimidation and abuse. I take the stairs from the 10th floor to the 8th floor before getting on the elevator so I will not be stuck in an elevator with him. Of note, I am not alone in these behaviors. Other female graduate students avoid being around Barrett at all costs. Recently, Barrett showed up at a WEGO Final Friday event and female graduate students left because they were uncomfortable sharing a social space with him.
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Account from Isaac Pickell, current Wayne State PhD student

Molli Spalte and I have both filed official complaints detailing Barrett Watten’s years-long method of abuse, including harassment, bullying, intimidation, and trying to sow distrust and animus into our relationship. While I am not yet comfortable detailing this publicly, know that we are being targeted by a serial abuser for sharing the open secret of his abusive behavior. Barrett is using the institution’s deference to authority against us; the only strength we have is in numbers.
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Account from Marie Buck, graduate of the Wayne State PhD program

I am posting this here in hopes that 1) all of Barrett's disciplinary charges against current students are dropped; given his history of abusive behavior toward students, he is trustworthy and 2) that Barrett is not allowed contact with graduate or undergraduate students in the future and 3) that Barrett is not invited into poetry spaces in the future. It should be noted that in addition to the people who have given specific stories here, almost everyone I have ever come into contact with in the poetry community has expressed wariness around Barrett because of his reputation for belligerent and physically intimidating behavior . . .
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An account from Jonathan Flatley, professor in the Wayne State Department of English

"The most frightening and concerning part of the interaction was Barrett’s angry, aggressive and threatening bodily posture and facial expression, even more than his also upsetting and offensive angry verbal outburst. The whole event was disturbing and distressing to witness."
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An account from Tara Forbes, graduate of the Wayne State PhD program

"I have been informed that Barrett then confronted the male faculty member's partner, who is a woman faculty member (not from English), about her partner's behaviour. This is approximately when I entered the hallway of the Student Center (outside the teach-in room) and saw Barrett shouting at the woman faculty member, including telling her to keep her husband in line, and that her husband only approached him because he was jealous of Barrett being "an intellectual male presence" in the woman faculty member's life."
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