A longtime professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville has resigned after the university "received a series of reports about inappropriate conduct (including some reports of sexual misconduct)" and that he was having "an intimate relationship" with a student, according to his personnel file.

The reports about Henri Grissino-Mayer, a well-known geography professor at UT for more than 30 years and director of the UT Laboratory of Tree Ring Science, include a recent accusation he was having a sexual relationship with a student.

Other reports describe inappropriate conduct and sexual misconduct, reported by current and former students, according to Grissino-Mayer's file, provided to the News Sentinel after an open records request.

An investigation by the Office of Equity and Diversity at UT is underway. OED Director Jenny Richter received the initial report Aug. 7.

Within a day of receiving the report of recent misconduct, Richter received by email a packet of reports describing further misconduct, David Manderscheid, provost and senior vice chancellor, wrote in a Sept. 25 letter to several UT faculty members, including Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Theresa Lee, Geography Department Head Ron Kalafasky and Director for the Office of Title IX Ashley Blamey.

Manderscheid accepted Grissino-Mayer's resignation Sept. 7.

Richter did not respond to requests for comment.

Provost: Abuse of position and power

"These reports describe a pattern of abusing his position and power as a tenured full professor with an active research program, a well-funded laboratory ... and a steady pipeline of high-achieving graduate students," Manderscheid wrote.

"Because Dr. Grissino-Mayer's conduct has been so egregious, many of us have struggled with whether the university should accept his resignation. After careful review of the competing concerns, I concluded that the most compelling interests are those of his current and former students," Manderscheid continued in the letter.

Accepting the resignation eliminates having to hold termination proceedings in which students would be deposed or cross-examined, he wrote.

"In summary, I decided that I cannot in good conscience refuse to accept Dr. Grissino-Mayer's resignation even though it might be satisfying to terminate him formally for adequate cause," Manderscheid wrote.

'Resignation in lieu of termination'

Grissino-Mayer's departure will be listed as "resignation in lieu of termination," and he is not eligible for tenure or rehire at UT.

Additionally, Grissino-Mayer will not be allowed to hold the title of professor emeritus and "will not be entitled to retiree privileges" typically given to tenured professors.

"Going forward you may refer to yourself as a former member of the UT faculty or 'Professor, Retired,' but you are not permitted to claim any ongoing affiliation with the University," Manderscheid wrote.

Grissino-Mayer, whose annual salary was $115,156, did not respond to the News Sentinel's multiple requests for comment.

He will receive his regular pay through his last day and will receive whatever retirement benefits he has accrued, according to Tyra Haag, director of media relations at UT.

Grissino-Mayer was placed on administrative leave with pay Aug. 8, pending the outcome of an Office of Equity and Diversity investigation into "an intimate relationship" with a student, according to his file.

On Aug. 31, Grissino-Mayer sent a letter to the geography department head, Ron Kalafsky, tendering his resignation, effective Oct. 1.

"It is with deep sadness that I write this letter to inform you that I have made the difficult decision to tender my resignation. ... Many factors went into this decision — it was not made lightly, nor was it made without carefully consulting with my wife and family here in Knoxville, and especially my parents and family in my hometown in Athens, Georgia," he wrote, in part.

No contact with students allowed

Grissino-Mayer has been given a no-contact order for his current and former students, and is not allowed on UT property without prior approval from the university. If he is on campus property, a UT police escort and university official also will be present, according to Manderscheid.

The investigation into Grissino-Mayer's relationship with a student is ongoing, and will continue after his resignation.

Haag said the university was not able to comment because of the ongoing investigation.

On Aug. 10, Grissino-Mayer met with several faculty members, where he "admitted not only to violating the University's policy, but also admitted that he knew he was violating the policy at the time of his misconduct," according to his personnel file.

Grissino-Mayer's relationship with a student is in violation of the Faculty Handbook section 2.2.6. The handbook states that "amorous or sexual relationships between a faculty member and a student are prohibited when the faculty member has professional authority over, or responsibility for, the student." The handbook goes on to say that relationships between a professor and a student they do not have direct authority over are also "strongly discouraged."

When reached for comment, Kalafsky, chairman of the geography department, said he could not discuss personnel matters.

Grissino-Mayer was the director of the UT Laboratory of Tree Ring Science and was considered an expert on the subject. He was consulted during the Gatlinburg wildfires in 2016, and continued to speak on the wildfires throughout the next year.

Provost: 'I do not believe he will change his ways'

Grissino-Mayer also faced controversy in 2011 when he married a former student. UT conducted an investigation into his relationship with that student, but Grissino-Mayer was still employed by the university. At the time of the investigation, it was recommended that Grissino-Mayer be denied a merit raise, complete sexual harassment policy training and end contact with the student.

"We know that he did not learn from his past mistakes, having disrupted our community before when he engaged in a sexual relationship with a student [redacted]," Manderscheid wrote. "He has already taken more of our collective time and energy than he deserves, and I do not believe he will change his ways."

"He has already taken more of our collective time and energy than he deserves, and I do not believe he will change his ways." — Provost David Manderscheid

The lab and building Grissino-Mayer worked in "have been re-keyed to provide secure access for students ... so they can continue their work without threat of interruption by Dr. Grissino-Mayer," according to the Sept. 25 letter from Manderscheid.

Grissino-Mayer's classes have been reassigned to other professors, and students have been provided with counseling resources.

Additionally, websites linking to his past and present work have been taken down for review, research officials are "addressing issues of authorship between Dr. Grassino-Mayer and his students," and thesis and dissertation committees have been reconstituted.