A Rutgers University adjunct professor convicted of sexual assault seven years ago has been placed on administrative leave after "issues regarding his background were brought to the chancellor," a university spokeswoman said Sunday.

Sombudha Adhikari, 58, who teaches economics at the Newark and New Brunswick campuses of the state university, has been put on paid leave during the review, Dory Devlin, a school spokeswoman said.

Adhikari pleaded guilty to criminal sexual assault in 2011 after being charged in 2009 when he was a professor at Farleigh Dickinson University in Florham Park, according to a public records search and published reports. Adhikari was charged with inappropriately touching a female student in a classroom, according to a published report.

He was sentenced to one year of probation, according to the public record.

Efforts to reach Adhikari for comment Sunday through three listed phone number were not successful.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips