UC Riverside Chancellor Kim Wilcox on Friday denied allegations he ignored sexual harassment and abuse while he was provost at Michigan State University, saying he was unaware of his associate’s behavior.

William Strampel, the former dean of MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, was arrested March 26 as part of an investigation into how former sports doctor Larry Nassar was able to sexually abuse more than 250 girls and women while at the university, including many members of the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team.

It is the worst sexual abuse case in sports history.

Last year, Nassar pleaded guilty to molesting patients and possessing child pornography. He will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Strampel is the first person besides Nassar to be charged in connection with the case. He is charged with harassing, propositioning, sexually assaulting and soliciting pornographic videos of female students. He’s also accused of not keeping an eye on Nassar after MSU cleared the doctor in 2014 of inappropriate sexual behavior with a former student.

Complaints from students and faculty members about Strampel came up in a review process eight years ago.

In a 2010 letter in Strampel’s personnel file, obtained in part by the Detroit News, Wilcox wrote that Strampel would stay medical school dean after the review.

“Our several discussions over the past several months have reinforced my commitment and that of Dean Strampel to advancing the goals of the College within the broad mission of Michigan State University,” Wilcox wrote.

On Friday, Wilcox released a written statement saying he was unaware of Strampel’s behavior and expressing regret for Strampel’s alleged victims.

“I served as provost at Michigan State University (MSU) from August 2005 through December 2012, during which time I supervised then-dean William Strampel,” Wilcox’s statement begins. “To the best of my knowledge, none of the feedback I received while supervising Strampel described behaviors articulated in the Michigan Attorney General’s criminal complaint filing. Notwithstanding, I have been troubled by the revelations about Strampel’s alleged actions at MSU.”

During his time at MSU, Wilcox oversaw Strampel’s five-year review in 2010, but not the 2005 review.

“As part of the 2010 review process I received some anonymous feedback that Strampel had made several inappropriate comments,” Wilcox wrote. “In response, I instituted a corrective action plan that directed Strampel to cease making such comments and to obtain counsel on proper and professional communications. I also recommended a follow-up review be done in 2013.”

Wilcox became UC Riverside’s Chancellor in 2013.

“Having reviewed the criminal complaint against Strampel, I deeply regret that he caused pain for so many. I further regret that some individuals felt they could not report Strampel’s actions at the time they occurred, and I admire the courageous individuals who have come forward to report sexual harassment and sexual violence at MSU,” his statement concludes. “Finally, I continue to support efforts to provide the public and authorities with all documents and records necessary for a full and transparent investigation, including any records that involve my participation.”

While Wilcox has been chancellor at UC Riverside, several employees have been disciplined for sexual harassment, according to university spokesman John Warren.

“Since Chancellor Kim Wilcox began at UCR on August 9, 2013, through April 10, 2018, 10 then-current employees have been found to have committed sexual harassment. No employees were found to have committed sexual violence/assault,” Warren wrote in an email.

“In all cases, disciplinary measures were taken. Four out of 10 respondents were terminated from employment. Two other respondents voluntarily separated after the investigation results were disclosed to them, and four respondents were suspended without pay. Suspension is the most serious disciplinary action we take other than termination,” Warren wrote. “Only two respondents still work at UCR.”

Earlier this week, UC Riverside’s student newspaper, The Highlander, reported that former UC Riverside Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs James Sandoval had been the subject of a Title IX sexual harassment investigation. Sandoval had been on leave since Nov. 10, according to the university. He retired on Jan. 3.

Wilcox was not among those disciplined. There have been no substantiated complaints against Wilcox himself during his time at UC Riverside, according to a lawyer for the school.

The university would not release information about any unsubstantiated complaints against Wilcox. Those are exempt under the California Public Records Act, according to David Bergquist, Chief Campus Counsel for UC Riverside. Wilcox’s performance reviews during his five years at the university are also exempt, Bergquist wrote.

The Southern California News Group requested the records after a report that Wilcox may have let complaints of sexual abuse and harassment slide when he was the provost at Michigan State University.

Last year, the University of California system reported there were 113 sexual harassment cases in the UC system between Jan. 1, 2013 to April 6, 2016. Fifty-two of them occurred at Southern California universities.