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| Disturbing details of sexual harassment scandal at UC Berkeley revealed in files |
The hundreds of pages of annal – which cover all-encompassing affidavit of aggravation cases involving 19 advisers and were appear on the heels of assorted high-profile controversies – appearance that men in able positions abhorred conduct afterwards the academy embodied aggravation complaints from acceptance and employees.
The new documents, provided to the Guardian and added media outlets, action redacted versions of the accessible university’s analysis letters and antidotal accomplishments for every case in the accomplished seven years in which the appointment for the blockage of aggravation and bigotry (OPHD) embodied allegations of misconduct.
Notably, the abstracts appearance that all the advisers who were accursed for actionable animal aggravation behavior were agents associates – and none were tenured professors.
Three adroitness associates included in the letters abide at the university, said UC Berkeley agent Dan Mogulof.
The revelations appear months afterwards Geoffrey Marcy, a acclaimed UC Berkeley astronomer, accommodated in the deathwatch of letters that the academy had begin that he had again sexually addled acceptance over the advance of a decade yet did not face austere discipline.
Last month, Sujit Choudhry, the administrator of the law school, accommodated from his position afterwards the university faced cogent backfire for acceptance him to accumulate his job afterward a campus analysis that embodied his controlling assistant’s animal aggravation allegations.
Choudhry charcoal a adroitness member.
The new abstracts appear that Howard D’Abrera, an accessory adroitness affiliate who eventually resigned, again beatific sexually afflictive emails to an undergraduate student. In one, he arrive the apprentice on a “dirt smoke abounding weekend of complete accusable amusement and sins” and offered to “whisper candied nothings in your ear”. The email said: “I should get to apperceive you … and analyze the adventuresome [redacted] aphotic ancillary of you. Accompany me a shirt from your wardrobe.”
Blake Wentworth, a adroitness affiliate in the administration of south and south-east Asian studies, whose case is still pending, allegedly told a alum student: “I could lose my job over this … but I’m so admiring to you.” At one point, he allegedly came up abaft the changeable apprentice and biconcave his duke over her ear.
Jeffrey Topacio, a accepted administrator of Cal Dining who was begin accusable of “gross misconduct” and eventually was terminated, again fabricated comments about his penis size, even afterwards affair with a complaint resolution officer, according to the records. He aswell allegedly acclimated a homophobic accusation to call a macho agent who was crying.
The letters added appear that Alan Wong, a accursed university beating therapist, sexually assaulted a changeable undergraduate student, again affecting her underwear and genitals during a massage, including afterwards she said: “Can you focus on my shoulder?”
Nori Castillo, a staffer in Berkeley’s startup accelerator SkyDeck, was concluded afterwards the university bent that he again addled a macho apprentice intern, subjecting him to exceptionable animal advances, authoritative statements such as “I wish you so badly” and “I’ll draft your mind”.
Scott Anderson, a affliction specialist who formed with acceptance with cerebral disabilities, again beatific sexually inappropriate emails to a changeable student, according to the documents. In one he joked about active her, and in addition he referenced backbreaking her for not finishing an appointment and said he would accompany handcuffs.
In 17 absolute letters – involving accusations adjoin 19 advisers – 11 cases resulted in abortion or resignation. Six cases resulted in added forms of discipline, and two of the antidotal affairs are still pending. In seven cases acceptance had filed the complaints, and in six of the investigations adroitness were accused of misconduct.
On Wednesday, Michael Burawoy, abettor of folklore and co-chair of the Berkeley Adroitness Association, said the new letters aloft apropos that there are disparities in the way the university responds to complaints depending on the cachet of the accused. “The a lot of cogent allotment of this adumbration is the aberration in the punishment,” he said. “Tenured adroitness are basically not absolved ... That affair runs through all of this.”
There are adverse ability dynamics in all of the cases, Burawoy added. “Men are generally in added able positions than women. It encourages that array of behavior if it’s not … accustomed or if it’s somehow kept secret.”
Leslie Salzinger, a abettor of gender and women’s studies at Berkeley, said the cases accept afford ablaze on the affectionate of aggravation that is accepted in universities and workplaces beyond the country. “The affair with Berkeley is not that there’s added harassment, but one would apprehend an academy like this to do a bigger job responding. I achievement that we will.”
Mogulof, the university spokesman, acclaimed that the academy has afresh formed a board on animal violence, aggravation and advance to analysis behavior and accomplish recommendations for changes.
“There needs to be advance in our behavior and our practices and our ability on this campus,” he said.
Mogulof aswell acclaimed that added universities accept not appear this affectionate of data, acceptation there’s no affirmation that the botheration is worse here. But, he added: “We accept been absolute in our accepting that one is too many.”
Naomi Rustomjee, Choudhry’s lawyer, said in an email Wednesday that the above administrator “is assured that he will be vindicated in court”, adding: “He should be advised on the base of his conduct, not on that of others accused of animal harassment.”
Choudhry has apologized to his above abettor “for his mistakes”, Rustomjee added.
The added adroitness and agents called in the letters did not acknowledge to requests for animadversion or could not anon be reached.
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