Stories / Student Safety
ASU hires professor who resigned after UW-Madison found relationship-policy violations
ASU hired Dietram Scheufele as a Foundation Professor of Communications this fall, weeks after he resigned from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. UW-Madison investigators found he violated its policy against romantic relationships with students under his authority, having such relationships with two of his students, and broke a faculty rule requiring professional honesty and integrity.
Investigators did not find quid pro quo sexual harassment or hostile-environment violations. UW-Madison's provost notified him in November 2025 that the university intended to pursue his dismissal; in January 2026 he signed a settlement and resigned effective Aug. 15, and the students withdrew from a pending Title IX hearing. Scheufele signed ASU's offer in April 2025, before the final report. UW-Madison says it disclosed the investigation when ASU checked his references, and The State Press confirmed ASU received a July notice about the violation.
ASU's side / contextASU confirmed he works there and said it runs background checks during hiring; it declined further comment on personnel matters and could not confirm whether the hiring committee read the full report. Scheufele disputes the findings and says the matters were resolved without any admission of wrongdoing.
