Incidents at Harvard University
Total: 14
Incident 9051
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Eric Rentschler
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline:
Languages; German
Outcome Year:
2023
Outcome Category:
Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote:
"Germanic Languages and Literatures professor Eric Rentschler was placed on two-year administrative leave for violating the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ sexual and gender-based harassment and professional conduct policies"
"“Professor Rentschler’s conduct has violated the fundamental norms of our community,” Hoekstra wrote in the email. “In my role as FAS Dean, I have determined that sanctions are warranted and proportionate to the severity of the behavior.”"
"Rentschler’s two-year administrative leave is effective immediately and he will be barred from teaching at Harvard and from attending Harvard-sponsored events and meetings, according to the email.
At time of publication, Rentschler’s page on the Germanic Languages and Literature department website listed him as “on leave” for the spring 2024 semester.
After his leave concludes, Rentschler will only be allowed to teach non-required classes and will be prohibited from taking on new undergraduate or graduate advisees for an additional two years. After that period concludes, Hoekstra will reevaluate whether she will lift “some or all” of those sanctions."
"“Professor Rentschler’s conduct has violated the fundamental norms of our community,” Hoekstra wrote in the email. “In my role as FAS Dean, I have determined that sanctions are warranted and proportionate to the severity of the behavior.”"
"Rentschler’s two-year administrative leave is effective immediately and he will be barred from teaching at Harvard and from attending Harvard-sponsored events and meetings, according to the email.
At time of publication, Rentschler’s page on the Germanic Languages and Literature department website listed him as “on leave” for the spring 2024 semester.
After his leave concludes, Rentschler will only be allowed to teach non-required classes and will be prohibited from taking on new undergraduate or graduate advisees for an additional two years. After that period concludes, Hoekstra will reevaluate whether she will lift “some or all” of those sanctions."
Last updated:
Incident 8605
Status:
Resolved
Person:
John L. Comaroff
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline:
African and African-American Studies
Outcome Year:
2022
Outcome Category:
Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote:
"Harvard Anthropology and African and African-American Studies professor John L. Comaroff was placed on unpaid administrative leave Thursday after University investigations found that he violated the school’s sexual harassment and professional conduct policies.
Comaroff, who has taught at Harvard since 2012, will be barred from teaching required courses and taking on any additional graduate student advisees through the next academic year, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Claudine Gay announced in an email to Anthropology and AAAS affiliates Thursday morning."
Lawsuit filed - 2/9/22
Comaroff, who has taught at Harvard since 2012, will be barred from teaching required courses and taking on any additional graduate student advisees through the next academic year, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Claudine Gay announced in an email to Anthropology and AAAS affiliates Thursday morning."
Lawsuit filed - 2/9/22
Link(s):
Last updated:
Incident 8594
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Gary Urton
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline:
Anthropology
Outcome Year:
2020
Outcome Category:
Honor Revoked, Retired
Quote:
"IN A JUNE 10 EMAIL to affiliates of the anthropology department, Dumbarton Oaks, and the Peabody Museum, Faculty of Arts and Sciences dean Claudine Gay announced that she has stripped former Dumbarton Oaks professor of pre-Colombian studies Gary Urton of his emeritus status after an investigation found he violated FAS policies on “sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and unprofessional conduct.”"
"In August [2020], Urton retired."
"In August [2020], Urton retired."
Link(s):
Last updated:
Incident 8613
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Pier Paolo Pandolfi
Role:
Administrator
Position:
Director
Discipline:
Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline:
cancer-genetics
Outcome Year:
2020
Outcome Category:
Resigned
Quote:
"Pandolfi admits to the inappropriate pursuit of a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard, for which he says Harvard investigated him. He says the incident was isolated and he has received counselling, and he resigned from Harvard last December."
Last updated:
Incident 8388
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Roland G. Fryer Jr.
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Economics, Business
Specific Discipline:
Economics
Outcome Year:
2019
Outcome Category:
Suspended / Leave / Restrictions
Quote:
"Mr. Fryer, 42, has been the subject of several concurrent university investigations, which concluded that he had engaged in “unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature” against at least five employees over the course of a decade.
In a letter to the economics department on Wednesday, Claudine Gay, a Harvard dean, said Mr. Fryer would be put on administrative leave for two years, during which he cannot teach or conduct research using university resources. The Education Innovation Laboratory, the off-campus space known as EdLabs where he conducted most of his work, will be permanently closed. A Harvard spokeswoman said he would not be paid during his suspension."
In a letter to the economics department on Wednesday, Claudine Gay, a Harvard dean, said Mr. Fryer would be put on administrative leave for two years, during which he cannot teach or conduct research using university resources. The Education Innovation Laboratory, the off-campus space known as EdLabs where he conducted most of his work, will be permanently closed. A Harvard spokeswoman said he would not be paid during his suspension."
Link(s):
Last updated:
Incident 8593
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Theodore C. Bestor
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline:
Anthropology
Outcome Year:
2018
Outcome Category:
Official Warning / Reprimand
Quote:
"a Harvard investigation found Bestor committed two counts of sexual misconduct during an interaction with a female professor at a 2017 conference at UCLA. Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences disciplined Bestor for the incident, but allowed him to return to work before completing required sanctions."
Last updated:
Incident 7367
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Harvey J. Makadon
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline:
Medicine
Outcome Year:
2018
Outcome Category:
Resigned
Quote:
"Facing accusations of sexual misconduct, physician and longtime Harvard Medical School professor Harvey J. Makadon resigned from his positions on the faculty at the Medical School and staff of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center last month."
Last updated:
Incident 8144
Status:
Ongoing
Person:
Role:
Position:
Discipline:
Specific Discipline:
Outcome Year:
2018
Outcome Category:
Quote:
Last updated:
Incident 8266
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Chris Heaton
Role:
Coach
Position:
Head Diving Coach
Discipline:
Athletics
Specific Discipline:
Diving
Outcome Year:
2018
Outcome Category:
Resigned
Quote:
Resigned after allegations.
Last updated:
Incident 7366
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Charles H. Hennekens
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline:
Medicine
Outcome Year:
1995
Outcome Category:
Resigned
Quote:
"aces allegations that he sexually harassed more than a dozen women who worked under him...Charles H. Hennekens resigned from his posts at HMS and Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he was the chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine, effective on March 31."
Last updated:
Incident 7365
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Douglas A. Hibbs Jr.
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline:
History
Outcome Year:
1985
Outcome Category:
Resigned
Quote:
"A tenured professor at Harvard University has resigned after a complaint of sexual harassment was made against him"
Last updated:
Incident 7364
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Jorge I. Dominguez
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline:
Political Science, Government
Outcome Year:
1983
Outcome Category:
Barred From Leadership or Honorary Position(s)
Quote:
"Harvard has taken disciplinary action against a tenured Government professor for sexually harassing a junior faculty member in the department, Government professors confirmed this week.
Jorge I. Dominguez, Harvard's senior authority on Latin American political science, was officially punished this summer ..., after the dean found merit in a grievance the assistant professor lodged."
"Dominguez was recently replaced as chairman of an interdisciplinary Latin American studies committee.
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The new chairman, Juan Marichal, Smith Professor of the French and Spanish Languages and Literatures, said yesterday a Faculty administrator asked him to assume the post because of a "serious situation" concerning Dominguez.
Professors said Dominguez was stripped of his post as punishment by Rosovsky for the alleged sexual harassment. The Crimson was unable to obtain any official confirmation of this fact."
"JORGE DOMÍNGUEZ, formerly Madero professor for the study of Mexico and Harvard’s first vice provost for international affairs, who last year was publicly accused of persistent sexual harassment, will lose his emeritus status and the privileges associated with it"
Jorge I. Dominguez, Harvard's senior authority on Latin American political science, was officially punished this summer ..., after the dean found merit in a grievance the assistant professor lodged."
"Dominguez was recently replaced as chairman of an interdisciplinary Latin American studies committee.
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The new chairman, Juan Marichal, Smith Professor of the French and Spanish Languages and Literatures, said yesterday a Faculty administrator asked him to assume the post because of a "serious situation" concerning Dominguez.
Professors said Dominguez was stripped of his post as punishment by Rosovsky for the alleged sexual harassment. The Crimson was unable to obtain any official confirmation of this fact."
"JORGE DOMÍNGUEZ, formerly Madero professor for the study of Mexico and Harvard’s first vice provost for international affairs, who last year was publicly accused of persistent sexual harassment, will lose his emeritus status and the privileges associated with it"
Link(s):
Last updated:
Incident 7363
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Derek Walcott
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline:
English Writing Humanities
Outcome Year:
1982
Outcome Category:
Monetary Settlement / Award, Official Warning / Reprimand
Quote:
"The student, who contended that the ''C'' grade she received in the course had been influenced by her rejection of the professor's advances, filed a complaint of sexual harassment with the university. Professor Walcott not only denied that any personal considerations had influenced his determination of the grade but also said that the student had misinterpreted the remarks that prompted the charges.
The university investigated the complaint and found that it ''had merit.'' Dean Rosovsky wrote her that the university had taken ''formal action'' against Professor Walcott. The dean later disclosed that he had written a letter of reproach to Boston University. "
"A settlement has been reached in a sexual-harassment suit against Derek Walcott"
The university investigated the complaint and found that it ''had merit.'' Dean Rosovsky wrote her that the university had taken ''formal action'' against Professor Walcott. The dean later disclosed that he had written a letter of reproach to Boston University. "
"A settlement has been reached in a sexual-harassment suit against Derek Walcott"
Link(s):
Last updated:
Incident 7362
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Martin L. Kilson
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Specific Discipline:
Political Science, Government
Outcome Year:
1980
Outcome Category:
Official Warning / Reprimand
Quote:
"Then-Dean of the Faculty Henry A. Rosovsky censured Kilson after the sexual harassment complaint came to light, asking him to write an apology letter ... Kilson took a sick leave from the College during the spring term of 1980."
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