An assistant director for Arizona State University's online programs was fired last summer as he faced investigations into a "joke" that relied on racist stereotypes about African-Americans and inappropriate comments he made to a female employee.

University investigations, completed after the man was "involuntarily terminated," found he had violated a university policy prohibiting discrimination and harassment in both instances.

Carlos Benjamin was the assistant director of ASU EdPlus' Student Success Center until July 2018. EdPlus houses ASU's online programs, including ASU Online and other initiatives such as the Starbucks college plan.

Benjamin's firing and the misconduct allegations were first reported by 12News.

A 2017 database of university employee salaries shows Benjamin was paid $80,800 that year as assistant director. His LinkedIn page says he was employed by ASU for more than four years.

Documents obtained from ASU through a public records request show two investigations by the school's Office of Equity and Inclusion substantiated complaints by employees under Benjamin's supervision.

An ASU spokesperson said Benjamin's employment was terminated because of the conduct described in the two investigations.

Attempts to reach Benjamin via phone calls to numbers associated with him were unsuccessful. He also did not immediately respond to a Facebook message seeking comment.

Report: Image was akin to blackface

A report from August says Benjamin "engaged in racially insensitive conduct" directed toward a new hire who was African-American.

EdPlus has a practice of taking photos of new hires to display on its website, the report says. After the new hire had a photo taken, the new hire's supervisor asked if the new hire could have another photo taken that more accurately reflected his "warm and friendly nature."

Benjamin responded with an altered photo. The altered photo showed the new hire with a "photo-shopped mouth" over the employee's original photo. The mouth had "bright lipstick-red lips, pearl white teeth, and an oversized smile." Benjamin sent the altered photo to the new hire and the new hire's supervisor.

The new hire was "offended" by the altered photo, the report says, but hesitated to raise concerns about it because he was new.

Benjamin "claimed he altered the photo as a joke," the report says.

ASU's investigation found Benjamin's conduct was "racially insensitive."

"The altered image was similar to depictions of blackface and people of African descent in minstrel shows in U.S. history," the report says.

Blackface was created in the 19th century by white minstrel actors who darkened their faces with burnt cork and painted their lips with white or red stain to circus-clown proportions. They played to racist stereotypes — not only with an exaggerated appearance but by acting ignorant, blundering and lazy —that dehumanized African-Americans.

Based on a "preponderance of the evidence," Benjamin's conduct violated a university policy that prohibits discrimination and harassment, the university concluded.

His conduct also was "unprofessional, offensive and reflected unacceptably poor judgment," the report says.

The report is another example of blackface in the public sphere. Over the past two months, images of public officials dressed in blackface in years past have surfaced.A recent USA TODAY investigation found examples of blackface across the country. One image was published in the 1988-89 ASU yearbook by the now-USA TODAY editor, who issued an apology.

READ: Republic review finds blackface in ASU, UA yearbooks

Sexual comments substantiated

In a separate report in September, ASU found Benjamin made inappropriate comments of a sexual nature to a female who was hired by EdPlus in June 2018.

While she was being trained, the new hire said Benjamin made several comments that made her uncomfortable:

He mentioned he had purchased lingerie for his wife.

He told the new hire she smelled good.

He invited the new hire to go to a convenience store with him off-site. While traveling to the store, Benjamin talked with the woman about strip clubs and "mentioned an adult film star."

A month after her training, the woman said she was entering a cafe at the ASU Skysong campus when Benjamin opened the door for her. "I thought I was going to hit your nipples," Benjamin said to the woman, she claimed in the report.

He then said he would "stalk her back to her chair" and followed her to her office, the report says.

Benjamin admitted in the investigation that he had talked with the female employee about strip clubs, but claimed she brought up the topic by referencing "those classy strip clubs" on Scottsdale Road. He also said he saw her at the cafe and went with her back to her office. But he denied the other allegations.

While investigating, the university found Benjamin had made other comments about his "intimate life with his wife" to a different employee. He also "used verbiage to describe female body parts" with other trainees that was similar to what the woman's complaint alleged. Two other female employees said he complimented them in an inappropriate manner.

The investigation found it was "more likely than not" that Benjamin had engaged in the conduct the woman alleged in her complaint. He had violated the same university policy referenced in the first report, based on a "preponderance of the evidence," ASU concluded.

A letter from ASU Provost Mark Searle attached to the August investigation says Benjamin was not eligible for rehire by the university because of his conduct.

Reach reporter Rachel Leingang by email at rachel.leingang@gannett.com or by phone at 602-444-8157, or find her on Twitter and Facebook.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.