Artist Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma, has resigned her post at the University of New Mexico.

Harjo, a well-known poet and musician, was a creative writing professor at UNM. She resigned over the school's failure to fire another professor who posed with a student on a sadomasochism web site.

"The Chavez-and-students sex-site debacle was mishandled," Harjo said, referring to professor Lisa Chavez. "Because of this, the creative writing program lost face and credibility locally and nationally. Those of us - a majority of the creative writing program - who pushed for a proper ethics investigation based on policies already in place were retaliated against for speaking up. This whole situation could have been handled in a way that was respectful to all parties. As it is, only the rights of one person was considered."

Harjo was just awarded a $50,000 USA Fellowship.

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English professor resigns over administration's actions (The New Mexico Daily Lobo 11/11)