UW-La Crosse chancellor Gow fired, after Regents discover affiliation with porn stars, pornographic video content

UW-La Crosse Chancellor, Dr. Joe Gow, has been fired by the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents for, essentially, discovering he’s posted porn videos with his wife online and has been affiliating with actors in the adult film industry.

Gow and his wife post cooking videos with porn stars on their Twitter and YouTube pages called “Sexy Happy Couple.”

Within one video, there is a promotion to go to a LoyalFans account to “see the full uncut scene” with the porn actor Lauren Phillips.

The Regents unanimous decision to fire Gow came after a closed door meeting on Wednesday.

Gow sent WIZM this statement: “My wife and and I are very grateful to have the First Amendment right to create and publish books and videos that explore consensual adult sexuality. We are disappointed the UW Board of Regents have not given us a public hearing about this.”.

Gow and his wife’s two books, written under the pseudonyms Geri and Jay Hart, are about their experience in the adult film industry. In one video, referring to their book called Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationship, Gow says in the video it’s “not our real names on there because we’re forced to kind of lay low on that, but someday.”

UW System president, Jay Rothman, called Gow’s actions “abhorrent.”

“In recent days, we learned of specific conduct by Dr. Gow that has subjected the university to significant reputational harm,” Rothman stated. “His actions were abhorrent.”

Gow, UW-L’s second-longest tenured chancellor, has been there since 2007. He had already announced he was retiring in August.

And it was at that time Rothman had different words to describe Gow.

“This is a hallmark of excellent stewardship,” Rothman said in the August statement. “(Gow) has provided a steady hand through challenging times and met the moment when we needed him.”

Meanwhile, UW Regents president, Karen Walsh, stated Gow showed a “reckless disregard” for his role at UW-L, adding “We are alarmed, and disgusted, by his actions, which were wholly and undeniably inconsistent with his role as chancellor.”

Back in 2018, Gow was denied his regular raise, after inviting porn star and activist Nina Hartley to speak on campus, which sparked backlash.

At the time, then-UW system President Ray Cross said that Gow “exercised poor judgment” in inviting Hartley to speak.

The Sexy Healthy Cooking account on Twitter first posted on July 15, 2018 — referring to free speech, including Hartley in the post. It posted again, a quote from Hartley, the same month Gow was denied that raise.

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So very true! Thank you @ssshforwomen and @ninaland @NinaHartleyLive !! https://t.co/kHgWu5pqvv

— Sexy Healthy Cooking (@SexyHappyCouple) August 10, 2018

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Hartley is promoted a few times for joining the couple’s cooking show.

As a tenured faculty member, Gow will be placed on paid administrative leave as he transitions into his faculty role, Rothman said, though he also field a complaint asking for that status to be reviewed.

Provost Betsy Morgan has been named interim chancellor at UW-L. The Onalaska native said, in a statement she was honored to be chosen and that, “(I) want to acknowledge how challenging it is for the campus to face a change like this on such short notice. Please be assured that my sole goal will be to provide stable leadership in the months ahead and I’ll be working closely with student leadership.”