UC Berkeley dean in sexual harassment case keeps tenure and avoids charges

Law dean Sujit Choudhry will remain a faculty member ‘in good
standing’ until next year, as critics say the deal shows how
powerful men avoid consequences

Sam Levin in San Francisco
Tuesday 18 April 2017 20.51 BST

The former University of California, Berkeley, law dean whose sexual harassment case sparked national outrage has reached a deal with the school that allows him to maintain tenure, receive research funding and avoid charges.

Although university investigators concluded that Sujit Choudhry had sexually harassed his executive assistant while he was dean, the university is ending its disciplinary process and allowing the professor to remain a faculty member “in good standing” until he “voluntarily” resigns next year, according to newly released documents.

Tyann Sorrell, who went public with her claims last year that Choudhry repeatedly touched her inappropriately when she was his assistant, slammed the settlement terms, saying in a statement: “This deal insults all who suffer harassment at the hands of those with power and privilege.”

The professor’s attorney said the settlement “contains no admission of liability for sexual harassment”.

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