A senior faculty member of the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, who allegedly sexually harassed his research scholar, has opted to voluntarily retire from service after the matter came to light a few days ago.
The MSU campus was abuzz on October 17 after Vice-Chancellor K. Baskar, Registrar S. Sathosh Baboo and three others received anonymous letters along with compact discs. While the letter elaborated the sexual harassment being meted out to a 26-year-old woman research scholar by the guide, the compact discs contained the telephonic conversation between the two.
“When we closely examined the letter and listened to the conversation in the CD, we got some clues that led to us identifying the student and the faculty member, who was former Head of the Department of Communication, MSU,” officials said.
Panel enquiry
While the research scholar was examined by a four-member women committee, the faculty member was interrogated by a three-member committee, including two Syndicate Committee members. Since the faculty member had contacted the girl student, a hostelite, over her mobile phone in the odd hours and started talking to her in lewd language, she initially had resisted it. When the faculty member sent her a veiled threat that she would not be allowed to complete her research and take her degree if she refuses to cooperate, she was forced to talk to him in similar fashion,” Dr. Baskar told The Hindu here on Wednesday.
The victim, who appeared before the committee after a lot of counselling, finally elaborated the situation that forced her to speak with him. Though the guide had contacted the girl around 280 times, the CD contained the telephonic conversation he had with the victim on seven occasions.
After the preliminary inquiry, conducted by the 4-member committee, the women members prepared the statement, which was signed by the victim and the members. Though the guide, during the interrogation, too admitted to have committed the crime, the 3-member committee did not obtain the signature from him in the statement. Moreover, the 3-member committee gave 3 options to the 57-year-old faculty member, including seeking transfer for some other work of MSU for the remaining period of his service or applying for voluntary retirement dating back to July or August so as to relieve him immediately from the job with all retirement benefits.
However, the Vice-Chancellor, on getting the preliminary report submitted by the women’s committee, has decided to send it to the Vishaka Committee probing internal sexual complaints in any institution or department.
“The language he has used is lewd and unacceptable. Hence, the case in all likelihood will be referred to the Internal Complaints Committee soon as mandated by the norms for further course of action. Hence, he may be placed under suspension soon, pending inquiry,” Dr. Baskar said.