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SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore (NUS) said on Tuesday (November 17) that it had completed its review of a complaint filed against the former director of the East Asian Institute (EAI), Professor Zheng Yongnian, and found that it had been behaved inappropriately with a colleague in May. 2018.
NUS said it set up a commission of inquiry to begin investigations after learning of the allegations in May last year.
A staff member alleged that Professor Zheng behaved inappropriately on several occasions in 2018, including putting his hands on her shoulder and head, hugging her, and patting her butt and holding her while taking a group photo.
NUS said that “in the absence of evidence,” the investigation was unable to verify all the allegations, except that Professor Zheng had hugged the staff member without his permission during a meeting.
He filed a police report in May 2019, accusing Professor Zheng of outrageous modesty. Following investigations and in consultation with the Attorney General’s Office, the police issued a stern warning to Professor Zheng in April this year.
NUS said it suspended Professor Zheng on May 20, 2019 and required that he work from home and stay off the NUS campus for the entire duration of the investigations. He was also issued a no-contact order prohibiting him from communicating with the EAI staff member.
“The IOC concluded that Professor Zheng had admitted to hugging the EAI staff member without his consent during a business meeting on May 30, 2018, but the allegation that Professor Zheng had patted her on the buttocks in the same meeting could not be established conclusively, “the statement said. read.
“The IOC further determined that it is inappropriate for a male senior colleague in a supervisory role to hug a junior colleague without her consent at a professional meeting in his office,” NUS said, adding that it thus concluded that Professor Zheng had violated its code. conduct for staff.
“According to the university’s guidelines on staff discipline, the appropriate sanction for an infraction of this nature is a written warning.
“As Professor Zheng is no longer on the NUS staff, the university will include the result of the internal review in its personnel records,” the institution said.
Professor Zheng resigned as director in June and was replaced by former World Bank country director Bert Hofman. Professor Zheng left EAI in September.
“NUS and EAI expect all staff to be treated with dignity, consideration and respect, and we take a firm stand against all forms of inappropriate behavior,” the university said in its statement.
