Lawrence Krauss to retire from ASU after investigation into sexual misconduct allegations

Rachel Leingang | The Republic | azcentral.com

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Lawrence Krauss, a well-known theoretical physicist at Arizona State University, announced Sunday he is retiring from the school after an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

A Buzzfeed News story earlier this year contained allegations of inappropriate comments and behavior from multiple women. After the story, ASU put Krauss on paid administrative leave and began an investigation.

An ASU dean had recommended Krauss be fired. He was also stripped of his role as the director of the Origins Project, which holds workshops and events focusing on the origins of the universe and life.

The university told Melanie Thomson, an Australian professor who said she witnessed Krauss grab a woman's breast while taking a photo at a convention in Australia, that it had concluded the event violated the school's sexual harassment policy, multiple news outlets previously reported.

In a statement, Krauss said he submitted a request to retire as an ASU professor at the end of the academic year, which is May 16, 2019. The university accepted the request and closed the review process, Krauss said. ASU confirmed it has accepted Krauss' request to retire.

Krauss said his choice to retire was spurred by Arizona Board of Regents regulations that would only allow him to "directly test the credibility of my accusers or the veracity of their claims" if he first agreed to be dismissed. He wasn't willing to do so.

The regents have a lengthy process for dismissing a tenured professor involving multiple layers of investigation and an opportunity for the professor to dispute findings from the university.

Krauss said the review process had "incomplete access to evidence and accusations during the investigation, no opportunity to cross-examine witnesses or be represented by a lawyer during the investigation interviews, and no option to directly appeal the subsequent determinations made by the investigators or the Provost."

ASU called Krauss' description of the review process "inaccurate." The process includes an opportunity for the accused person to have a hearing, present witnesses and evidence and cross-examine other witnesses, the university said.

"Should he have chosen to move forward with the review process, this would have taken place before any final decisions were made regarding dismissal. Dr. Krauss chose to retire rather than to move forward with that process," ASU spokeswoman Katie Paquet said.

In his statement, Krauss reiterated that he had never harassed or assaulted anyone, nor had he engaged in gender discrimination at the university.

"Based on what has been reported to me by the University, none of my students, departmental staff, faculty colleagues, research colleagues and postdoctoral fellows, or participants in the Origins events I led over the past decade at ASU, has ever issued any allegations or complaints to the University regarding my behavior," he said.

Krauss said he is confident an impartial appeals process examining all evidence would have lead to a favorable outcome for him.

"Nevertheless, my experience over the past seven months has led me to surmise that even following such an outcome, I would no longer encounter a working environment at ASU that is conducive to continuing my active teaching, research and service activities," he said.

In a tweet Sunday, Krauss thanked people for their "support and encouragement."

"Onward and hopefully upward to new and different challenges," he wrote on Twitter.

Krauss also is known for his work on the Doomsday Clock, a symbolic clock that inches closer to midnight as the threat of nuclear annihilation increases, and is an outspoken atheist.

An update on my situation at ASU. I have chosen to retire from ASU in May, 2019, when I turn 65. Onward and hopefully upward to new and different challenges. Details below. Thanks for the support and encouragement from so many of you. pic.twitter.com/7PSh0i4NnU — Lawrence M. Krauss (@LKrauss1) October 21, 2018

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