Skip to main content

Incidents at San Jose State University

Total: 5


Incident 8766

Status: Resolved
Person: Scott Shaw
Role: Coach
Position: Sports Trainer
Discipline: Athletics
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2021
Outcome Category: Monetary Settlement / Award, Resigned
Quote: "The university agreed to pay $1.6 million to the victims — $125,000 apiece — and overhaul its Title IX office and its process for responding to sexual harassment complaints in a settlement agreement with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office."

"Federal investigators concluded 23 student athletes were inappropriately touched by athletic trainer Scott Shaw, but only 13 have accepted the university’s settlement offer.

"Shaw, who has declined to comment to this news organization, resigned last year. The FBI is investigating for possible criminal charges."

The deal comes after years of scandal at the university that started in 2009 when Spartans swim coach Sage Hopkins first brought forward the allegations of more than a dozen female swimmers, who contended that Shaw reached under their bras and underwear and inappropriately touched them during sports massages."
Last updated:

Incident 7548

Status: Resolved
Person: Lewis Aptekar
Role: Faculty
Position: Professor
Discipline: Education
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year: 2016
Outcome Category: Resigned
Quote: "Aptekar, 72, had alleged that the university violated his due process rights during an investigation into the sexual harassment claim against him, a claim the university denied. “This settlement is a compromise of disputed claims and is not an admission by any party of any liability,” the document says.

The professor, who has faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment in the last several years, had been scheduled to return to teaching this semester after a temporary suspension. But he was removed from the teaching roster after students and fellow professors protested his return.

On Sept. 30, Aptekar sent a one-sentence resignation letter to the interim senior associate vice president of university personnel, Elizabeth Pugliese, saying he was stepping down “due to personal reasons.”"
Last updated:

Incident 7547

Status: Resolved
Person: Jeffry Mathis
Role: Faculty
Position: Lecturer
Discipline: Life Sciences
Specific Discipline: Kinesiology
Outcome Year: 2013
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "A San Jose State lecturer accused by a student last August of sexual assault is no longer at the university.

"a crying, unidentified student accused Mathis of straddling and groping her in a secluded office and not letting her leave when she came to ask about her grade."


"“Regarding the allegations made in the news report, the University conducted a thorough internal investigation in addition to a police investigation immediately after the student filed the complaint,” the email concluded.


“Based on those investigations, the University took appropriate action. Because this is a personnel matter, the specific details of the actions taken are confidential. However, Mr. Mathis is no longer employed by SJSU.”"
Last updated:

Incident 7546

Status: Resolved
Person: Andrew Hughey
Role: Administrator
Position: Dean
Discipline: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Specific Discipline: Applied Arts and Sciences
Outcome Year: 1986
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "A lawsuit charging a former SJSU dean with sexual harassment was filed in Superior Court Wednesday by an ex-employee.
Andrew R. Hughey, who resigned Jan. 13 as dean of Applied Arts and Sciences, was named in a suit"

"He resigned his position after a standard five-year review last fall. Hughey, who has retreat rights to the School of Education, was
placed on administrative leave by Fullerton. Hughey was investigated by the university following allegations of sexual harassment, but the findings of that investigation were never made public"
Last updated:

Incident 7545

Status: Resolved
Role: Faculty
Position: Associate Professor
Discipline: Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline: Philosophy
Outcome Year: 1980
Outcome Category: No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote: "Two Eay Area professors, one at San Jose State University and the other at University of California at Berkeley, have been severely disciplined for allegedly sexually harassing women students.

Philip Jacklin, associate professor of philosophy at San Jose State, was fired after a unanimous recommendation for dismissal by a faculty committee and by the university's president, Gail Fullerton.

Five women students had accused Jacklin of persistently touching, embracing, kissing, fondling and propositioning them in incidents dating since the fall of 1977."
Last updated: