Incidents at Valencia College
Total: 2
Incident 7875
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Luis Salas
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Associate Professor
Discipline:
Arts and Humanities
Specific Discipline:
Graphic Design
Outcome Year:
2017
Outcome Category:
No Longer Employed (includes Fired and Contract Non-renewal)
Quote:
"A Valencia College graphic design professor was placed on unpaid leave this month after facing sexual harassment allegations from three women, school documents show....
One student said he promised her a passing grade in exchange for a hug in spring 2016...Another student accused Salas of trying to kiss her when they were in his car as they got lunch together off-campus in November 2015. Salas asked if she had ever fallen in love with any of her professors, the student said told investigators....One felt so uncomfortable, she dropped his class in the summer 2016 and considered switching campuses, the report said.
Salas also faced sexual harassment allegations from a colleague... About a year ago, he complimented an adjunct professor’s lips and placed her hand on his to guide a computer mouse, the woman told investigators.
After that, she “made it a point to never be alone with Mr. Salas,” the report said.
School investigators decided Salas’ accusers had more credibility than him. They said he contacted one of the victims during the investigation after they specifically told him not to do so...
The college is trying to fire Luis Salas"
"Respondent, Mr. Luis Salas (a/k/a Luis Salas Rivera), is hereby notified of that the District Board of Trustees of Valencia College, Florida has accepted President Sanford C. Shugart's Petition and Request for Interim Relief seeking Respondent's termination of your employment as a Tenured Professor of Graphic Design, and has placed Respondent on administrative leave without pay pending final action on the President Shugart's Petition"
One student said he promised her a passing grade in exchange for a hug in spring 2016...Another student accused Salas of trying to kiss her when they were in his car as they got lunch together off-campus in November 2015. Salas asked if she had ever fallen in love with any of her professors, the student said told investigators....One felt so uncomfortable, she dropped his class in the summer 2016 and considered switching campuses, the report said.
Salas also faced sexual harassment allegations from a colleague... About a year ago, he complimented an adjunct professor’s lips and placed her hand on his to guide a computer mouse, the woman told investigators.
After that, she “made it a point to never be alone with Mr. Salas,” the report said.
School investigators decided Salas’ accusers had more credibility than him. They said he contacted one of the victims during the investigation after they specifically told him not to do so...
The college is trying to fire Luis Salas"
"Respondent, Mr. Luis Salas (a/k/a Luis Salas Rivera), is hereby notified of that the District Board of Trustees of Valencia College, Florida has accepted President Sanford C. Shugart's Petition and Request for Interim Relief seeking Respondent's termination of your employment as a Tenured Professor of Graphic Design, and has placed Respondent on administrative leave without pay pending final action on the President Shugart's Petition"
Link(s):
Last updated:
Incident 7874
Status:
Resolved
Person:
Suresh Pushkarna
Role:
Faculty
Position:
Professor
Discipline:
Medicine and Health Sciences
Specific Discipline:
Psychology
Outcome Year:
2016
Outcome Category:
Retired
Quote:
"A Valencia College adjunct professor retired to avoid getting fired after he was accused of touching a student’s buttocks and kissing her on the cheek, documents released this week show.
The allegations stem from Oct. 12 when a student met with Suresh Pushkarna about a term paper after class at the Osceola County campus. She talked about how God was important in her life and if she should write about personal experiences."
The allegations stem from Oct. 12 when a student met with Suresh Pushkarna about a term paper after class at the Osceola County campus. She talked about how God was important in her life and if she should write about personal experiences."
Last updated: