MADISON, Wis.—The Universities of Wisconsin (UW System) has officially revoked the tenure and professorship of Dr. Joe Gow in a unanimous decision reached earlier today. UW System Board of Regents agreed with the recommendation of their personnel matters committee and a faculty committee to remove Gow and terminate his position after he was outed as an indie adult content creator and social media influencer promoting vegan cooking and ethical non-monogamy.
During this case, Gow was represented by counsel provided by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a pro-bono First Amendment law firm.
The attorney FIRE secured for this case is Mark Leitner of Laffey, Leitner & Goode LLC. Leitner made a First Amendment defense alleging the regents and the university system were violating Gow's right to free and academic expression. UW System counsel disagreed, noting that Gow's contract with the university doesn't protect his rights to freedom of expression when he is expected to carry himself per the UW code of conduct, even when he is off duty and in his personal life.
Gow served 17 years as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW-La Crosse) but was fired in December 2023. Gow, alongside his spouse, Dr. Carmen Wilson, self-produced and sold adult videos on websites like OnlyFans and Fansly. Gow and Wilson also co-authored two books about ethical non-monogamy under pseudonyms. They appeared in scenes with major adult stars, including Lauren Phillips, Sofie Marie, Nina Hartley, Will Pounder, Ryan Driller and India Summer.
"Because Carmen and I wrote and produced our books and videos on our own time—with no reference whatsoever to the UW System—they are protected by both the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the free speech rights outlined in the Wisconsin State Constitution," Gow said in prepared remarks he shared with AVN.
He also said he intends to sue the university system, likely in federal court. Gow explained, "We seek not only to protect our own rights but to protect free speech and expression for all Americans." Gow went on in his remarks to call the regents a "Board of Hypocrites" that has "zero credibility on free speech and expression."
FIRE counsel posted on X their dismay at the decision handed down by the UW System. For example, FIRE executive vice president Nico Perrino lamented that this was "[not] a great week for the free expression rights of tenured college faculty."
“FIRE has said time and time again: public universities cannot sacrifice the First Amendment to protect their reputations," added Zach Greenberg, faculty legal defense counsel at FIRE in a statement to other news outlets.
Greenberg added, "We’re disappointed UW caved to donors and politicians by throwing a tenured professor under the bus.”
The regents were under political pressure to remove Gow from UW.
Counsel representing the university even mentioned pressure from figures like Republican state Sen. Rob Hutton, the chair of the powerful Senate Universities and Revenue Committee. Hutton's committee has a significant hand in controlling the funding to UW System.
Reportedly, donor pressure also mounted on UW-La Crosse and UW System to remove Gow. During his faculty hearing over the summer, Gow was told that donors were happy at his ouster as chancellor but were withholding funds until he was completely removed from his position as a communications professor.
