Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Diaz cleared in MIT investigation
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Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Diaz has been cleared of misconduct allegations which led him to withdraw from this year's Sydney Writers' Festival.
A Massachusetts Institute of Technology investigation into his alleged actions towards female students and staff yielded no information that would lead to restrictions on his role as a creative writing professor, the US university said.
"To date, MIT has not found or received information that would lead us to take any action to restrict Professor Diaz in his role as an MIT faculty member, and we expect him to teach next academic year, as scheduled," said Kimberly Allen, director of media relations.
Author Zinzi Clemmons and other female writers recently shared stories of Diaz's alleged misbehaviour.
Clemmons said Diaz forcibly kissed her several years ago; others cited instances when they felt he had verbally attacked them.
He then withdrew from the remainder of his appearances at the festival.
Diaz has said he takes responsibility for his past actions.
He did not comment on MIT's decision, but his agent said she was pleased with the outcome.
Diaz won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2008 for his novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
ABC/AP
Topics: arts-and-entertainment, books-literature, university-and-further-education, united-states
