UCSC professor on leave after harassment and discrimination allegations
UC Santa Cruz has placed one of their engineering school professors on leave after a laundry list of disturbing allegations. A release by the school’s provost and executive vice-chancellor mentions allegations were made of sexual harassment, and racial, gender and religious discrimination.
While the university would not reveal to KION who this professor is, a bombshell report by the Mercury News says the person in question is Dimitris Achlioptas. Their reporting is that this is the result of claims from two students. The first, a Muslim student, who claims Achlioptas repeatedly called him a “terrorist.” Both students, the Mercury News reports, said that Achlioptas made “sexually charged remarks.”
Their investigation also found that students complained of inaction by the school.
Here is the full statement from UC Santa Cruz:
Recently, serious and troubling allegations of misconduct against a professor in the Baskin School of Engineering have resurfaced online. The allegations include sexual harassment, discrimination based on race, gender, and religion, and more. These allegations are being investigated. The professor is currently on leave.
When UC Santa Cruz first became aware of such allegations, we alerted the appropriate campus offices for follow-up and investigation, including the Title IX Office and the Academic Personnel Office.
We understand our community’s alarm that our silence on this matter signals tolerance. This is simply untrue.
The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority, and we treat allegations of misconduct by anyone–faculty, staff, or students–with seriousness and care. In most instances, there is also very little we can say publicly, because of the privacy rights afforded to all parties, to protect the integrity of our investigation, and to protect the due process rights of all involved.
We strive to foster a welcoming and inclusive community for everyone, yet recognize there are times when more work, including corrective measures, is needed. Anyone who has faced discrimination or harassment is encouraged to report such conduct.
