Law Dean’s Sexual Harassment Debacle Has UC System Rethinking Policy

After UC Berkeley faced a backlash for the way it handled allegations against the dean of its law school, the entire University of California system will overhaul its process for reviewing such claims. A lawsuit filed against the school by Sujit Choudhry says that the dean received only a temporary pay cut and mandatory counseling after he was found to have touched her inappropriately. UC President Janet Napolitano announced that a statewide committee will review and approve all proposed penalties for high-level administrators under investigation for possible sexual harassment and assault. Substantiated sexual harassment claims must be dealt with “firmly, fairly and expeditiously and that appropriate sanctions are imposed that recognize the serious nature of these claims,” Napolitano said. “At a minimum, our employees are entitled to come to work without fear of sexual harassment or sexual violence.”