For the second time in less than two years, the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California has removed a dean in a sex-related scandal. The ouster of Dr. Rohit Varma came after the Los Angeles Times contacted the school about a sexual harassment incident from 14 years ago. The school initially claimed it had faith in the dean, but that confidence was shaken after further investigation uncovered new “employment incidents.”
From the Los Angeles Times:
Read Full Article »Varma's departure came a little more than a year and a half after Dr. Carmen Puliafito stepped down. Puliafito was the subject of a Times investigation that found he regularly abused methamphetamine and other drugs and associated with addicts and prostitutes.
A Keck administrator described the school as “completely in shock” over the Varma revelations. She said many on campus learned of the dean's departure from colleagues who whispered the news or forwarded a link of The Times' story on the resignation.
“It's sad because a bulk of the folks who work here do great stuff, but this has sullied that,” said the administrator, who like others requested anonymity because USC has asked employees not to speak publicly on the matter.
