Grad student publicly accuses UC regent of groping

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The University of California confirms it is investigating a graduate student’s allegations that a UC regent touched her upper thigh during a dinner five years ago.

Doctoral student Rebecca Ora made the claim during a public UC regents meeting Wednesday, saying Regent George Kieffer inappropriately touched her during a 2014 dinner.

The University of California, Santa Cruz student said she first tried to forget what happened, but couldn’t, and reported the incident to the UC a year and a half ago.

Kieffer denied Ora’s account to the San Francisco Chronicle. He said he is cooperating with the UC’s investigation of “this false allegation.”

UC spokeswoman Claire Doan says the university has hired an outside investigator.