The University of Wisconsin’s governing board dismissed Joe Gow, the Chancellor of the La Crosse campus, in December. Fueled by discomfort over Gow’s involvement in producing and appearing in pornographic videos with his wife, the decision was made during a swift, closed meeting of the Board of Regents on Wednesday evening.
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The Board of Regents, responsible for overseeing UW-Madison, UW-La Crosse, and 11 other regional campuses, voted unanimously for the dismissal. Jay Rothman, President of the University of Wisconsin System, and Karen Walsh, President of the Regents, expressed their concerns publicly. They stated that Gow’s activities had brought “significant reputational harm” to the university. Rothman described Gow’s actions as “abhorrent,” while Walsh expressed disgust over the situation.
Gow, who did not reference his role at the university in any of his videos, responded to his firing by stating that the regents were “overreacting.” Instead, he insisted that his activities were protected under the First Amendment’s free speech clause. Following his dismissal, Gow noted that he was never informed of any specific policy violation. Moreover, he claimed he had no prior warning or opportunity to prepare a defense case and is now contemplating legal action.
Joe Gow, the Chancellor of the La Crosse campus
Joe Gow Fired Via Email
The firing, communicated to Joe Gow via email, criticized him for failing to “act as a role model.” The email further noted that Gow mistakenly equated the First Amendment with having a “free pass to say or do anything that he pleases.” Gow plans to file a complaint with UW-L’s interim chancellor, Betsy Morgan, seeking a review of the decision regarding his tenure.
This incident isn’t Gow’s first brush with controversy. In 2018, he faced criticism for inviting porn actor Nina Hartley to speak at UW-La Crosse, a move he defended as exercising the system’s free speech policies. Additionally, Gow and his wife are known for their YouTube channel, “Sexy Healthy Cooking,” where they cook with porn actors. “Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationship” (2016) and “Married with Benefits – Our Real Life Adult Industry Adventures,” (2018) exploring the intersection of their personal and professional lives in the adult industry. It’s not clear if the UofW governing board typically takes 7 years to review the literary work of its board members, or if Gow’s case is an outlier.
Sources: YouTube
