Leiden University finds professor guilty of “intimidating and undesirable behavior”

Leiden University found one of its professors guilty of “intimidating and undesirable behavior towards colleagues in the workplace for a longer period of time.” The university severed ties with the professor. He cannot return to the university, is not allowed to supervise any Ph.D. students, and can no longer use any of the facilities that professors have access to, Leiden University said in a statement.

The university asked its Complaints Committee for undesirable behavior to investigate the professor after receiving multiple complaints about him. The man was suspended when the investigation started. On Tuesday, Leiden University severed ties with him after the Complaints Committee ruled the accusations against him to be well-founded.

Leiden University is shocked by the complaints and the fact that the undesirable behavior went on for so long, said Annetje Ottow, chairman of the university’s Executive Board. “Our concern now goes first and foremost to those involved,” Ottow said. “All help is, of course, offered to the reporters.”

“We are looking closely at the lessons that we as a university should learn from this and how we can ensure that in the future attention is paid to undesirable behavior, also in the form of prevention,” Ottow said. “It is important that people do not feel any obstacles to reporting and discussing undesirable behavior.”

The Complaints Committee also advised the university to improve the working climate at the institution where the professor worked. The university accepted the recommendation and will consult with the faculty and institute on how to achieve this.