After a six-month-long investigation, renowned UC Berkeley professor of astronomy Geoffrey Marcy has been formally implicated in a breach of campus sexual harassment policies.
According to BuzzFeed News, four women alleged that Marcy “repeatedly engaged in inappropriate physical behaviors with students, including unwanted massages, kisses, and groping” between 2001 and 2010. The campus then conducted an official investigation into Marcy’s behavior, concluding in June that Marcy had violated campus sexual harassment policies.
Though the details from the investigation have not been publicized, Marcy acknowledged allegations of his misconduct in an apology letter that he posted to his faculty page Wednesday.
“I take full responsibility and hold myself completely accountable for my actions and the impact they had,” Marcy said in the letter. “For that and to the women affected, I sincerely apologize.”
According to campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore, UC Berkeley has imposed consequences on Marcy by establishing a zero tolerance policy regarding future behavior and by stripping him of procedural protections held by other faculty members before he is subjected to discipline — up to and including termination.
