The Wandering Eyes

It was pouring rain yesterday, and as I entered the subway station near the school I saw Important Engineering Dean sitting on a bench. I had been to the administrative board earlier in the afternoon, fighting against some petty thievery going on in the administration - I applied for money from an external source in 2003, I got the money, it gets paid into the university, big chunks of it disappear. And the bit of money we have can't be spent, because we have no rooms to put the toys important computer equipment in, yadda yadda yadda.

Anyway. IED is, of course, a member of the board. So I sat down with him, and we got on the subway together. I was lobbying for support in this matter - I need all the voices possible to say that this is unfair.

In the subway we sat across from each other. IED is well-known for being unable to look women in the eyes (or rather, he is one of those guys who think that women have their eyes between their chins and navels). Here we are, discussing university politics, I am sitting in my lumpy, wet raincoat, and he is ogling me. I mean, come on, if I at least was showing some cleavage - but in this situation?

IED had been doing this during a gender sensitivity class required of all deans and program leaders, I had joined the engineers for fun (much to the relief of my computing colleagues). I had hoped that the leader, a former equal opportunity officer at a major university, would call him on this behavior, but she was so timid in the room full of IEDs, she didn't squeak. At that time I had resolved that the next time I met him alone I would speak to him about it. And then I successfully avoided him for about 3 years.

And now there I was, and because I wanted his help, I found myself unable to speak to him about his wandering eyes. And I am not known for being a shrinking violet. So how do I get this put to him? Stop dead in mid-sentence and look down to see if I have spilled coffee on my shirt? Wait for the biological solution (retirement should happen in another 5 years or so)? I am open to suggestions!