News Archive
Professor Drobac Presents Faculty Book Talk/R. Bruce Townsend Professorship Lecture
03/02/2016
Professor Jennifer Drobac, the R. Bruce Townsend Professor of Law at IU McKinney, presented a lecture in recognition of the professorship on the subject of her latest book, Sexual Exploitation of Teenagers: Adolescent Development, Discrimination & Consent Law. The work was published by The University of Chicago Press. The March 1 lecture was held in the Inlow Hall Wynne Courtroom.
The work examines the increasingly common problem of maturing adolescents who are harassed and exploited by the adults in their lives, and considers the neuroscience and psychological evidence of adolescent development to learn why teens are vulnerable to their adult harassers.
The subject of the lecture is frequently in the headlines, and Professor Drobac has been a widely consulted commentator on cases that center on this area of the law. She talked with the Indianapolis Star about a father who had molested his critically ill daughter, with WXIN for a story connected to the Jared Fogle case, with WRTV for a story on the length of time it took for Indianapolis Public Schools to report allegations of sexual abuse by one of its teachers, and with Indiana Lawyer and the Indianapolis Business Journal for stories on whether the attorneys for Park Tudor could face discipline for failing to report that a teacher had been accused of having a sexual relationship with a student.
During the lecture, Professor Drobac talked about the Park Tudor case and noted how disconnected the law is from what science shows is happening in the cognitive development of teenagers. Indiana’s laws also are inconsistent in how juveniles are treated, she said.
“They can’t sue on their own,” Drobac said of what rights are allowed to juveniles in Indiana, “but they can consent to sex with an adult” under state law.
Professor Drobac was named the R. Bruce Townsend Professor of Law in Fall 2015. This professorship is made possible through gifts contributed in honor of the late R. Bruce Townsend, a professor at the law school from 1946 until his retirement in 1982. He became one of the best loved professors at the school, widely known for his outstanding teaching ability, his wit and his compassion.
“Not only is Professor Drobac a tremendous scholar, she’s also an exemplary educator,” said IU McKinney Dean Andrew R. Klein. “She was won awards for her teaching, and I know Professor Drobac’s students appreciate how she uses her scholarly pursuits to enhance their classroom experience.”
Professor Drobac became a Fulbright Specialist in 2015. She received the Indiana University 2010 Sylvia E. Bowman Distinguished Teaching Award. She also received the 2005 Indiana University Trustees' Teaching Award. She was named a John S. Grimes Fellow in 2006 and 2009 and a Dean's Fellow in recognition of scholarly excellence in 2005-2006.
