Tell the University of Montana to
Fire Rob Smith
Rob Smith is a professor in the Computer Science department at the University of Montana. He has posted several blogs and videos that include sexist, discriminatory, and predatory statements about his students and specifically young women. He repeatedly states in these blog posts that women are intellectually inferior to men and that his female students should be at home and pregnant, not at the university. Some posts also include homophobic and Islamophobic statements. Most worryingly, he claims multiple times that girls are most sexually attractive at age 16 and that it is a shame that society doesn't allow older men to marry 16-year-old girls. These ideas are not just contained to his blog, they have also spilled into his interactions with students and interns. His comments and behavior make it unacceptable for him to remain a university professor, where he requires young women to visit him alone during his office hours, and insinuates that he is attracted to teenagers.
Quotes from Rob Smith's Blog
"Did you know that women peak physically at
age 16? It is interesting that... modern
society has made it taboo for a man to marry a 16 year old or so woman, suggesting it is inappropriate to find a 16 year old or so woman attractive"
- Rob Smith
"The Problem With The Women" pg. 21
What can you do about it?
You can...
Get Educated
Read the Kaimin article and blog posts, and watch the videos that document Rob Smith's misogynistic views
Sign the Petition
Tell the University of Montana to fire Rob Smith
File a Title IX Complaint
Report discrimination to the University of Montana
Boycott Rob's Classes
Refuse to take classes from or intern for Rob Smith
Contact the President and Provost to start an investigation
Tell them to start an investigation into Rob Smith, who is tenured and can only be fired after an investigation
Follow the Movement on Social Media
Stay connected to plan for an upcoming protest or walkout
Read the Kaimin Article
Read the Posts
These are some of Rob's worst blog posts, and even more can be found on the Wayback Machine.
Sign The Petition
File a Title IX Complaint
Visit the University of Montana's Equal Opportunity site to report any negative or sexist interactions with Rob Smith. You can submit anonymously if you are worried about retaliation. All the evidence that can be gathered will aid in an investigation into his ability to remain at UM.
Boycott Rob's Classes
And don't register for any of his upcoming courses, or agree to intern at his company, Prime Labs.
It is important to send a message that we can not learn from someone who holds such toxic and extreme views. Instructors in the Computer Science Department are working to ensure that students will not be penalized for boycotting Rob's classes.
Contact the President and Provost to Start an Investigation
Rob Smith is a tenured associate professor, and can only be fired after an investigation. Tell those with power at UM to start an investigation and send the message that Rob's misogynistic views do not represent the university. This is not what we stand for.
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​Please contact Provost Reed Humphrey at reed.humphrey@mso.umt.edu and President Seth Bodnar at seth.bodnar@mso.umt.edu to tell them to do everything they can to move an investigation forward.
Use the following as an email template:
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To [Decision Maker]:
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I am calling on you to do everything in your power to remove Rob Smith from the University of Montana. Rob Smith is a professor in the Computer Science department at the University of Montana. He has posted several blogs and videos that include sexist, discriminatory, and predatory statements about his students and specifically young women. He repeatedly states in these blog posts that women are intellectually inferior to men and that his female students should be at home and pregnant, not at the university. Some posts also include homophobic and Islamophobic statements. Most worryingly, he claims multiple times that girls are most sexually attractive at age 16 and that it is a shame that society doesn't allow older men to marry 16-year-old girls. These ideas are not just contained to his blog, they have also spilled into his interactions with students and interns. His comments and behavior make it unacceptable for him to remain a university professor, where he requires young women to visit him alone during his office hours, and so clearly states that he is attracted to teenagers.
Rob Smith is a tenured associate professor, and can only be fired after an investigation. Therefore, I ask you to use your influence and position at UM to get an investigation started. This is not what the University of Montana stands for, and our community and the country need to hear that message.
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Sincerely,
[Your name]
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Contact the Organizers
Contact us to get involved with organizing, or if you have any questions.