Longtime Harvard Professor to Retire Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations

A Harvard University government professor who was accused of sexual harassment by several women announced Tuesday that he will retire by the end of the semester and relinquish his administrative duties immediately. Over the weekend, Harvard told students that Jorge I. Dominguez, who has worked at the university since the 1970s, had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the allegations. A report from the Chronicle of Higher Education outlined cases of Dominguez kissing, inappropriately touching, and making uncomfortable remarks to 18 women. The Chronicle reported that in 1983 the university became aware of Dominguez making “repeated and unwanted sexual advances” to a professor with less seniority, but let him hold various high-level positions after the incident. The other professor, Terry Karl, eventually left Harvard. “Harvard also owes a transparent explanation for his continued promotion to positions of greater power when the University knew or should have known that his conduct was an abuse of power,” Karl wrote to The Washington Post. “This conduct created a hostile environment for decades, affecting women subject to his authority.”