Former academic behaved inappropriately with subordinate: NUS

The National University of Singapore (NUS) has determined that a former director of its East Asian Institute (EAI) had behaved inappropriately with a subordinate by hugging her without her consent during a work meeting.

In a statement issued yesterday, the university said Professor Zheng Yongnian's behaviour "was inappropriate in a professional setting" and had breached the university's code of conduct for staff.

He would have been given a written warning accordingly, but as he has left the institute, NUS recorded the outcome of its internal review in its staff records, it said.

Various sexual harassment allegations involving Prof Zheng, 58, had surfaced in August and September on social media, with social media users - who identified themselves as NUS staff - accusing him of harassing them.

Responding to the statement, the academic, who spoke through his lawyers, maintained his innocence and said it was a "consolatory hug" given as the staff member was leaving his office in May 2018. He said the staff member had looked disappointed after he told her that his daughter was not in Singapore.

She had expressed interest in befriending his daughter, said Prof Zheng, who left the university in September.

In its latest statement, NUS said it "became aware" of the allegations in May last year and suspended Prof Zheng on May 20 that year.

He was required to work from home and stay off the NUS campus while investigations were being conducted. Prof Zheng was also prohibited from contacting the EAI staff member, said NUS.

The police subsequently administered a stern warning to Prof Zheng in April this year for outrage of modesty, relating to this case.

Following this, NUS appointed a Committee of Inquiry (COI) in July to review the complaints, and determined that at least one of the staff member's allegations had occurred.

While Prof Zheng admitted to hugging the staff member without her consent, the COI could not establish the "veracity of the allegation that Prof Zheng had patted or touched her buttocks in the absence of evidence", said NUS.

It also could not establish that he had held the staff member's back while taking a group picture, and had placed his hands on her shoulder and head during a meeting between the two in his office - as the affected staff member had alleged.

Prof Zheng and the affected staff member were informed of NUS' findings earlier this week, and the university said it will continue to support the staff member.

However, both Prof Zheng and the social media user who claimed to be the affected staff member have expressed disappointment in the university's actions.

Prof Zheng said "it is extremely regrettable that NUS would provide (support to) and tolerate someone who has falsely accused others and has frequently attacked others in social media".

The affected staff member had made what he said were defamatory remarks about him in e-mails sent to the Chinese Ministry of Education, various universities, and scholar communities.

He added that he had treated her politely and professionally, and noted that the police report against him was made a year after the incident, "only after" he declined to be her PhD supervisor and co-author for a paper.

"Why isn't NUS protecting its own professor who has worked for the university for more than 20 years? Did NUS ever consider the pressure and distress I suffered during this period of investigation as a result of the false accusation mounted by the EAI staff?"

Meanwhile, the social media user who identified herself as the affected staff member posted on Twitter that she was disappointed with NUS' investigation. She said NUS was still trying to protect Prof Zheng, and noted that the university is "trying to blur the boundaries of 'sexual harassment' and 'inappropriate behaviour'".

"This is not 'inappropriate behaviour', it is illegal," she said.