It takes a lot of courage for someone to attend counseling and share personal issues. That’s why it’s alarming when a counselor acts inappropriately or unethically toward a patient, and even more so when others allow it to happen continually.

The Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing has sanctioned Dick Boyum, a former counselor at UW-Eau Claire, in response to complaints about his conduct that allege he made inappropriate sexual comments to several patients. The sanction bars Boyum from renewing his counselor’s license pending the decision of a professional review board.

Six women came forward over a 13-year period, prompting five university investigations of Boyum’s conduct. The last came in 2004, right around the time of Boyum’s retirement.

Because of the sensitive nature of their work, counselors should never act inappropriately toward patients. Doing so only intensifies the discomfort associated with therapy and could cause psychological damage to those who have come for help.

But Boyum is not the only culprit in this situation – the administrators and fellow counselors who investigated the complaints but failed to take decisive action also are at fault.

It is unacceptable that Boyum would garner five investigations involving six different women throughout his career. Any disciplinary action taken against Boyum obviously did not influence his conduct, which should have provoked the university to take stronger action.

Furthermore, if the most recent investigation had to do with Boyum’s decision to retire, then the student body were severely deceived, as was The Spectator when it reported on his retirement.

Both Boyum and the university itself owe the student body a public apology for the unethical conduct the complainants faced. Anything less sends a message that Boyum’s conduct, even now, is not a legitimate problem.