Prominent UC Berkeley Astronomer Reprimanded For Sexual Harassment Of Students
BERKELEY (CBS SF) -- A world-renowned astronomer from the University of California, Berkeley has been found to have violated the university's sexual harassment policies for years, according to a published report.
BuzzFeed News reported that astronomer Geoff Marcy has been accused by four women to have repeatedly engaged in inappropriate behavior with students, such as groping, giving unwanted massages and kissing.
Following a six-month investigation by the university, Marcy was given "clear expectations concerning his future interactions with students" and further violations would result in "sanctions that could include suspension or dismissal," according to the findings cited by BuzzFeed News.
Marcy is apparently not facing any other sanction following the university's probe of the allegations.
On his faculty page, Marcy posted an apology letter in which he also disputes some of the findings of the investigation. "It is difficult to express how painful it is for me to realize that I was a source of distress for any of my women colleagues, however unintentional," said Marcy in his letter.
The fallout has led to Marcy, a pioneer in the field of planet discovery around other stars, skipping an upcoming exoplanet conference described as the biggest of the year, according to the report.
A petition has also been launched to express support for the targets of Marcy's behavior.
UC Berkeley is among a number of universities under federal investigation for its handling of sexual assault complaints on its campus.
In June, three women who say they were sexually assaulted while at UC Berkeley filed a lawsuit against the board of regents, claiming the University failed to adequately protect them and investigate their complaints in a timely manner.
