A former Shoreline Community College professor charged with downloading thousands of pornographic images on a state-owned computer will pay the Washington Ethics Board $15,000 and the college $4,000 over the next two years. The settlement was finalized Friday, Oct. 10.
The first accusation against James N. Jory Jr., a tenured professor of business administration and associate dean for the college’s business administration division, was reported to the college by an unidentified person in December 2001. Jory allegedly was using his computer to watch a pornographic film. The college questioned Jory soon after and warned him about the possible implications of his actions. An auditor’s report of the situation in October 2002 revealed that Jory acknowledged the warning and agreed to stop.
The auditor’s investigation revealed Jory did not stop using his office computer to view pornography. He downloaded more than 70,000 pornographic images, the report stated.
Jory resigned from his position at the college in September 2002 after the state began investigating.
Brian Malarky, executive director of the Washington State Executive Ethics Board said that before his resignation, Jory was known for piling up books and “barricading” his desk so those passing by his window or office door could not see his computer screen.
“It’s clear from the evidence that someone who breaks the rules and knows what they’re doing – it’s for reasons beyond my understanding,” Malarky said.
If Jory fails to pay the state or the college on time, or violates the ethics law again, he could be fined an additional $5,000.
In addition to the pornographic images, Jory also allegedly used the state computer to conduct business as an outside attorney. The recent settlement showed that portion of the investigation changed after finding the e-mails concerned summer employment opportunities rather than side work.
College officials said last year that Jory was a well-respected professor, and it was a surprise to many what the auditor’s report revealed.
“I don’t think there’s anything you can do,” Shoreline Community College professor Holly Moore said. “You put policies in place, provide training, and set an exemplary model in your own behavior … It’s really too bad.”
This is not the first case of an ethics violation made by an SCC employee. In April of 2003, the Ethics Board fined former college president Gary Oertli $10,000 for investigation fees after he violated state ethics law and school policy when he led the college into a $350,000 contract with a personal friend. According to Malarky, it was the largest ethics violation penalty in the state’s history to be brought against an individual.
Coincidentally, both Jory and Oertli were involved in the first installment of new ethics training at the college, Malarky said, and Jory had been active in creating an Acceptable Use Policy regarding the private use of state resources.
College officials said they do not plan to change their current ethics policy.
“We will continue to do everything we can to make sure these kinds of things don’t happen,” Moore said.
Shoreline editor Pam Brice contributed to this article.
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