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Incidents at Michigan State University

Total: 44


Incident 8972

Status: Resolved
Role: Administrator
Position: Associate Dean
Discipline: Business
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2023
Outcome Category: Retired
Quote: "According to an investigation report from MSU’s Resolution Office, a unit of the school’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance, Hadlock “appeared intoxicated” at a “Gatsby Gala” on April 22. He also “[engaged] in sexualized dancing” — which was “unwanted” — with at least two individuals."
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Incident 8978

Status: Resolved
Role: Administrator
Position: Dean of Students
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2023
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: "But Williams’ exit was spurred by his “inappropriate behavior” while at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ regional conference in Chicago, Illinois in November of 2022, according to records obtained by The State News, which were initially withheld by MSU."

"While at a hotel bar, Williams engaged in a “level of consumption of alcohol which led to disruptive behavior,” and had “interactions with a female delegate that was perceived as unwanted.” Williams was removed by “security staff,” according to a letter from Williams’ supervisor, which cited witness interviews conducted by MSU Human Resources.

The letter, authored by Vice President of Student Life and Engagement Vennie Gore, said Williams’ conduct was especially disappointing given his responsibilities with reporting and regulating substance use and sexual misconduct amongst the students he oversaw at MSU. Gore wrote the behavior “compromises (Williams’) credibility and effectiveness.”

Nonetheless, Williams entered into a voluntary resignation agreement with MSU. " "
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Incident 8995

Status: Resolved
Role: Coach
Position: Head Football Coach
Discipline: Athletics
Specific Discipline: Football
Outcome Year: 2023
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "Michigan State fired Mel Tucker on Wednesday, saying the suspended football coach failed to present adequate reasons why he should not be fired for caus"

"The school told Tucker he would be fired for cause and without compensation for misconduct with Tracy, whom it considers a vendor because she was once paid to speak with the team"
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Incident 8957

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Adjunct Professor
Discipline: Law
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2022
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "In a report completed last month, Michigan State University found Joseph J. Farah made “explicit sexual advances” towards the then-third year student, Grace Ketzner, while she interned for him last summer, and repeatedly retaliated against her professionally after Ketzner rebuffed his requests to socialize privately with him after hours.

Farah did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Michigan Radio, but submitted a written statement to MSU denying all wrongdoing after reviewing the evidence.

A spokesperson for Michigan State University confirmed that Farah had been an adjunct professor at the MSU College of Law until May 15, 2021, but would not say whether Farah resigned or was terminated."
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Incident 8960

Status: Resolved
Person: Arthur Ward
Role: Faculty
Position: Teaching Specialist
Discipline: Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline: Philosophy
Outcome Year: 2022
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: "A former Michigan State University teacher resigned in lieu of termination last year, with the university finding he violated university policy by sexually harassing an individual.

Arthur Ward, who had been a teaching specialist at MSU since 2013 in its Lyman Briggs College, resigned on March 5, 2021. Lyman Briggs College Interim Dean Kendra Cheruvelil confirmed his resignation in a message to the college community on March 8, 2021, in the midst of the university’s Office of Institutional Equity investigation into his conduct."
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Incident 8965

Status: Resolved
Person: NAME UNKNOWN
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Business
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2022
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: "A leader in Michigan State University's business school got drunk at a party for MBA students and may have inappropriately touched at least one while dancing in a sexually suggestive manner"

"The university on June 29 revoked the leave, which was to have taken effect July 1, pending the outcome of a review. The designation had authorized the leader/professor to retire 10 months early without pay but still qualify for MSU health benefits and other privileges when he officially reaches retirement next year"

"According to an internal memo, Gupta said that the subordinate personally informed him of his inappropriate behavior sometime in the week after the incident. The name of the official, who resigned June 30, has not been made public because an investigation is ongoing."
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Incident 8649

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Emeritus Professor
Discipline: Life Sciences
Specific Discipline: Forestry
Outcome Year: 2021
Outcome Category: Honor Revoked
Quote: "A retired emeritus professor at Michigan State University was stripped of his title several years after being found responsible for sexual misconduct.

James Kielbaso, a former professor emeritus in the Department of Forestry, was found in 2018 to have made inappropriate comments and unwanted sexual advances toward a student.

Kielbaso kept his emeritus status until recently, when it was revoked because of the sexual misconduct finding. "
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Incident 8744

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline: Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Outcome Year: 2021
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: "A faculty member with Michigan State University’s Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program has resigned following a sexual misconduct investigation.

An investigation by MSU’s Office of Institutional Equity found that Professor Matthew Phillips violated the school’s Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy against two graduates of the CSD program, according to a notice sent Tuesday by MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences Dean Prabu David."
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Incident 8647

Status: Resolved
Person: Tomas Hult
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Business
Specific Discipline: Marketing
Outcome Year: 2020
Outcome Category: Honor Revoked
Quote: "Hult was found to have violated the sexual misconduct policy. His endowed chair position was revoked in January [2020], Olsen said. "
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Incident 8562

Status: Resolved
Role: Administrator, Faculty
Position: Associate Chair, Professor
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2020
Outcome Category: Criminal Plea / Conviction
Quote: "Former MSU professor Robert Pittman on Wednesday pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for assaulting [subordinate] in 1999 just before Pittman retired and moved to California."

"Name
Robert Pittman
Position
Associate Chair
Department
Department of Physiology
Still employed?
No
Date of final report

Offense
Sexual assault
Punishment
Retired before report made, criminal conviction"
Last updated:

Incident 8643

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline: Communications
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: Official Warning / Reprimand, Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote: "Donohue has been found responsible for sexual misconduct against women three times since 1994. A witness told OIE investigators Donohue’s name has come up as “an example of a problem at the University,” according to the report.

Donohue was reprimanded in 1994 for making inappropriate comments and for letting his hands linger on a woman’s neck and shoulders. In 2019, he was suspended for two months for two sustained complaints of forcible sexual contact and inappropriate sexual comments."
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Incident 8678

Status: Resolved
Role: Administrator, Faculty
Position: Associate Dean for Administration
Discipline: Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline: Veterinary Medicine
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: Retired
Quote: "Name
Michael Chaddock
Position
Professor and associate dean for administration
Department
College of Veterinary Medicine
Still employed?
No
Date of final report
22-May-19
Offense
Sexual harassment
Punishment
Retired before investigation finished"
Last updated:

Incident 8645

Status: Resolved
Person: David Foran
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline: Criminal Justice
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: Resigned, Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote: "In 2016, OIE officials warned Foran of anonymous complaints about his behavior. The warning made “so little impression on [Foran]” that he didn’t remember if he hugged a student before dropping her off, according to an OIE report.

Three years later, Foran was found to have violated MSU’s sexual misconduct policy for inappropriately touching and having overly personal communication with four students and for retaliatory behavior after students refused to attend social events."

"Michigan State University professor David Foran has officially resigned after a university investigation concluded he sexually harassed four students.
A university spokesperson confirmed Foran officially resigned before the university had the opportunity to officially fire him. " "Foran resigned as of June 3"
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Incident 8656

Status: Resolved
Person: John Norder
Role: Faculty
Position: Associate Professor
Discipline: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline: Anthropology
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote: "In a 2019 report by Michigan State, professor John Norder of the Department of Anthropology within the College of Social Science was found to have more than 1,000 sexually explicit images and videos on his work computer, some of which included himself, which the report cites as misconduct."

"Name
John Norder
Position
Associate professor
Department
Anthropology
Still employed?
Yes
Date of final report
Feb. 17, 2020
Offense
Sexual harassment
Punishment
4 week suspension"
Last updated:

Incident 8360

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Physiology, Life Sciences
Specific Discipline: Physiology
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote: "Wiseman was suspended for six weeks after OIE investigators found he had sexually harassed six women over nearly two decades. In all, nine women said Wiseman made inappropriate and sexually charged comments or jokes that made them feel uncomfortable. "
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Incident 8666

Status: Resolved
Person: Edward Thomas
Role:
Position: Counselor
Discipline: Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline: Counseling
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: Punishment
Fired
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Incident 8668

Status: Resolved
Person: Fei Li
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline: Geography
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: "Punishment
Resigned before investigation ended"
Last updated:

Incident 8568

Status: Resolved
Person: Harold Marcus
Role: Faculty
Position: Professsor
Discipline: Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline: History
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: Honor Revoked
Quote: "Marcus’ status as an emeritus professor was revoked in 2019 after a university investigation found him responsible for sexual harassment. " Lawsuit filed
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Incident 8674

Status: Resolved
Person: Joseph Gorz
Role: Faculty
Position: Clinical Instructor
Discipline: Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline: Osteopathic Medicine
Outcome Year: 2019
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "Name
Joseph Gorz
Position
Clinical instructor, resident
Department
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Still employed?
No
Date of final report
Dec. 26, 2018
Offense
Sexual harassment
Punishment
Unpaid clinical appointment terminated"
Last updated:

Incident 8682

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Clinical Instructor
Discipline: Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline: Medicine
Outcome Year: 2018
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "Thomas Wechter
Position
Clinical Instructor, resident
Department
Residency program in Grand Rapids
Still employed?
No
Date of final report
Nov. 15, 2018
Offense
Sexual assault
Punishment
No-pay clinical appointment terminated"
Last updated:

Incident 7439

Status: Resolved
Role: Administrator
Position: Dean
Discipline: Medicine and Health Sciences, Osteopathic Medicine
Specific Discipline: Osteopathic Medicine
Outcome Year: 2018
Outcome Category: Criminal Plea / Conviction, No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: Fired, found guilty of multiple counts by jury in June, 2019
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Incident 8119

Status: Ongoing
Person:
Role:
Position:
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2018
Outcome Category:
Quote: Investigation ongoing and accused used his position as journal article to write a rebuttal
Last updated:

Incident 8174

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline: Political Science, Government
Outcome Year: 2018
Outcome Category: Retired
Quote: Found to have sexually harassed graduate students. Retired from MSU Jan 1 2019
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Incident 8224

Status: Resolved
Role: Administrator
Position: Vice President of Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the MSU Alumni Association
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2018
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: Resigned; finding that he "engaged in “severe, persistent, and pervasive unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature” with student
Last updated:

Incident 7437

Status: Resolved
Person: Nicole Rovig
Role: Administrator
Position: Registrar
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2017
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "
Name
Nicole Rovig
Position
Assistant Provost
Department
Enrollment Services and University Registrar
Still employed?
No
Date of final report
7-May-17
Offense
Unwanted sexual contact
Punishment
Resigned"
Last updated:

Incident 7438

Status: Resolved
Person: Thomas Vogel
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Specific Discipline: Geoscience
Outcome Year: 2017
Outcome Category: Honor Revoked, Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote: "Name
Thomas Vogel
Position
Professor
Department
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Still employed?
Emeritus
Date of final report
10-Feb-17
Offense
Sexual assault
Punishment
Retired before report made"

"Four retired professors and administrators were allowed to keep their honorary “emeritus” titles despite being found to have violated policies on sexual misconduct by OIE investigators.

James Kielbaso and Thomas Vogel had emeritus standing prior to the OIE reports being made. "

"The university is currently in the process of revoking the honor from Vogel, a professor emeritus in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences."

"According to an investigation conducted by the Lansing State Journal, Thomas Vogel, a former professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Charles Steinfield, a former professor in the Department of Media and Information, were stripped of their emeritus titles following a recommendation by the university committee on faculty affairs."
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Incident 8660

Status: Resolved
Role: Administrator
Position: Executive Director of Constituent Relations
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2017
Outcome Category: Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote: "1 week suspension"
Last updated:

Incident 8662

Status: Resolved
Person: Anthony Ogden
Role: Administrator
Position: Executive Director of Education Abroad and Exchanges
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2017
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "Punishment
Fired"
Last updated:

Incident 8664

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position:
Discipline: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline: Community Sustainability
Outcome Year: 2017
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "Punishment
Fired"
Last updated:

Incident 8641

Status: Resolved
Person: Matti Kiupel
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline: Veterinary Medicine
Outcome Year: 2017
Outcome Category: Demoted, Suspended / Leave / Restrictions, Training / Counseling Required
Quote: "In August 2017, Kiupel was suspended for two months for unwelcome sexual contact and comments at a veterinary conference in December 2016. He also had to partake in one-on-one sexual misconduct training and was removed from his position as section head of anatomic pathology. "
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Incident 7434

Status: Resolved
Person: NAME UNKNOWN
Role: Faculty
Position: unknown
Discipline: unknown
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2016
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: “one faculty firing”.
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Incident 8680

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Life Sciences
Specific Discipline: Animal Science
Outcome Year: 2016
Outcome Category: Retired
Quote: "Position
Professor
Department
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Still employed?
No
Date of final report
6-Sep-16
Offense
Sexual harassment
Punishment
Retired before discipline could begin"
Last updated:

Incident 7435

Status: Resolved
Person: Larry Nassar
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor, Doctor
Discipline: Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline: Medicine
Outcome Year: 2016
Outcome Category: Criminal Plea / Conviction, No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "It's been a year since Larry Nassar was sentenced to an effective lifetime in prison after hundreds of women came forward and said he sexually assaulted them under a guise of medical treatment."

"Michigan State University announced Tuesday that it has fired Dr. Larry Nassar after an IndyStar investigation revealed accusations of sexual abuse against the longtime USA Gymnastics team physician."

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Incident 7436

Status: Resolved
Person: John Madden
Role: Faculty
Position: Band Director
Discipline: Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline: Music
Outcome Year: 2016
Outcome Category: Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote: "In April 2016, MSU’s Office of Institutional Equity conducted an investigation and found Madden violated RVSM policy and sexually harassed a student in February 2016. Madden's disciplinary actions included: "a one-week suspension from May 27 to June 3, 2016, where Madden was not allowed to be on campus or represent MSU in any capacity, a delay of his promotion to a full-time professor until Oct. 1, 2016 and a ban from the 2017 Huddle.""
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Incident 8672

Status: Resolved
Person: Joni Tucker
Role: Administrator
Position: Academic Program Coordinator
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2016
Outcome Category: No Known Outcome for Respondent
Quote: "Name
Joni Tucker
Position
Academic program coordinator
Department
Advertising and Public Relations
Still employed?
Yes
Date of final report
14-Jun-16
Offense
Stalking
Punishment
Unknown"
Last updated:

Incident 8676

Status: Resolved
Person: John Caron
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline: Veterinary Medicine
Outcome Year: 2015
Outcome Category: Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote: "Name
John Caron
Position
Professor
Department
Veterinary College
Still employed?
No
Date of final report
16-Sep-15
Offense
Sexual harassment
Punishment
3 month suspension"
Last updated:

Incident 8652

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Department Chair, Professor
Discipline: Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline: Media and Information Studies
Outcome Year: 2012
Outcome Category: Honor Revoked
Quote: "Four retired professors and administrators were allowed to keep their honorary “emeritus” titles despite being found to have violated policies on sexual misconduct by OIE investigators.

Charles Steinfield and William Latta were awarded the title several years after they were punished for sexual misconduct. "

"The university is currently in the process of revoking the honor from ... Steinfield, a professor emeritus in the Department of Media and Information, as a part of a university-wide review, Olsen said. This review will be completed and sent to the provost no later than June 1, he said. "

"According to an investigation conducted by the Lansing State Journal, Thomas Vogel, a former professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Charles Steinfield, a former professor in the Department of Media and Information, were stripped of their emeritus titles following a recommendation by the university committee on faculty affairs."

Last updated:

Incident 7433

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Business
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 1992
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: "Specifically, the Hearing Committee found:

(1) [a] persistent pattern of intrusion into students' private affairs through the sexualization of conversations;

(2) [a] denial of a student's right to pursue an education and work with faculty in an atmosphere of intellectual and academic freedom; and

(3) [an] unreasonable use of his authority to take advantage of others in subordinate positions through sexual advances....

Hearing Committee's Preliminary Written Report and Decision at 11.

After considering "a wide range of penalties, including a warning letter, job transfer, last chance warning, counseling, removal of merit pay, suspension, suspension with conditions, and dismissal," id., the Hearing Committee recommended, by a five-to-one vote, that Professor Wexley be dismissed."
Last updated:

Incident 7432

Status: Resolved
Role: Administrator
Position: Band Director
Discipline: Arts and Humanities, Music
Specific Discipline: Music
Outcome Year: 1984
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: "...music professor who was forced to resign from Michigan State University after 14 sexual harassment charges were filed..."

Link opens PDF.
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Incident 8684

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline: Music
Outcome Year:
Outcome Category: No Known Outcome for Respondent
Quote: "Name
Walter Verdehr
Position
Professor
Department
College of Music
Still employed?
No
Date of final report
Feb. 4, 2019
Offense
Sexual assault
Punishment
Retired before report made"
Last updated:

Incident 8654

Status: Resolved
Person: William Latta
Role: Administrator
Position: Assistant Vice President for Operations
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year:
Outcome Category: No Known Outcome for Respondent
Quote: "Charles Steinfield and William Latta were awarded the title several years after they were punished for sexual misconduct.

Latta, an emeritus assistant vice president for operations, could not be reached for comment. "
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Incident 8658

Status: Resolved
Person: Tim Wakeham
Role: Coach
Position: Strength and Conditioning Coach
Discipline: Athletics
Specific Discipline: strength and conditioning
Outcome Year:
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "Michigan State University fired a coach early this year after an investigation found he had a nonconsensual sexual relationship with a female student-athlete in the late 1990s.

But the school initially approved his request to retire after two years of unpaid leave. That only changed after the university upheld a hearing officer's decision and administrators exchanged dozens of emails."
Last updated:

Incident 8262

Status: Ongoing
Person:
Role:
Position:
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year:
Outcome Category:
Quote:
Last updated:

Incident 8556

Status: Ongoing
Person:
Role:
Position:
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year:
Outcome Category:
Quote:
Last updated: