U of M drama professor accused of sexual harassment suspended, investigation launched

A University of Moncton drama professor accused by several former students of sexual harassment has been suspended and an investigation has been launched, the university's new president confirmed on Monday.

Earlier this month, several students who attended the university between 1997 and 2017 spoke out about the alleged behaviour of Prof. Andréi Zaharia, which they described as sexist and misogynistic.

"On July 17, we made a decision to put the person concerned on leave with pay — therefore with salary — and also to initiate an external investigation process," president and vice-chancellor Denis Prud'homme said in French.

The university is in the process of selecting an investigator.

"It is very important that the rights, both at the level of the alleged victims and of the person concerned, be respected," he said.

The investigation is expected to take place in the coming weeks and months, said Prud'homme. The objective will be to analyze the complaints that have been filed against Zaharia and to interview anyone who may have relevant information​​​​​​, he said.

The university administration is unable to list the total number of complaints made against Zaharia during his career, said Prud'homme.

Prior to 2017, when the university adopted a sexual violence policy, complaints were received by the directors of each department. "To my knowledge, there was no systematic documentation," he said.

For this reason, alleged victims who made complaints before 2018 should contact the university to ensure their testimonies are included in the investigation.

Asked whether the university had failed in its role of protecting students, Prud'homme, who only began his five-year term on July 2, replied that it is a difficult question to answer .

"I don't have enough information at this point here to pass judgment," he said.

"What I can assure our students, as well as all members of the university community, that any complaint that will be brought to my attention, to the team, we will put in place the necessary follow-ups as required are prescribed by the various policies at the university, including that of sexual violence."

"Any complaint or report will be dealt with very rigorously by applying the various policies in place at the university," he added, "whether it be the code of conduct for students, whether it is the policy on sexual violence.

"And all other policies related to the tasks and responsibilities of professors will be applied rigorously to ensure the best objectivity of the analysis and to take the decisions that are appropriate."

Radio-Canada tried to reach Zaharia to get his comments on the allegations against him, but he did not respond.