UC Berkeley chancellor quits amid sex-abuse row
Print Edition
THE University of California, Berkeley chancellor, who critics alleged was too lenient when handling sexual harassment cases involving high-profile faculty members, has resigned his post.
University of California President Janet Napolitano said on Tuesday that she accepted UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks’ resignation and that a search for his successor would start immediately.
Dirks plans to stay on until a new successor is named and in place, Napolitano said.
Dirks said in a message to the campus community he plans to become a full-time professor at the university.
“I have come to the personal decision that the time is right for me to step aside and allow someone else to take up the financial and institutional challenges ahead of us,” he wrote.
Dirks took office as UC Berkeley’s 10th chancellor on June 1, 2013, and during his tenure launched major initiatives to strengthen undergraduate education and to optimize fundraising.
But he came under fire for the way he handled sexual harassment cases involving faculty members.
In one case, Sujit Choudhry, the former dean of the law school, received only a temporary pay cut and orders to undergo counseling as punishment after an investigation substantiated claims that he repeatedly kissed and touched a subordinate.
The university also faced criticism for what some saw as its lax discipline in three other sexual harassment cases involving the campus’ vice chancellor for research, a prominent astronomer and the dean of the law school.
All three men initially were allowed to keep their jobs but ended up resigning under pressure.
In March, Dirks rolled out a plan to address sexual harassment and sexual violence on campus that includes a review board to ensure those who violate the school’s sexual harassment policy are dealt with in a firm manner and more resources and staff for the campus office that deals with sexual harassment victims.
He announced his plan three days after a UC Berkeley assistant men’s basketball coach who was found to have violated the school’s sexual harassment policy was swiftly fired.
Yann Hufnagel hired a lawyer to fight the university’s decision to terminate his employment.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
