Ridicule, rage outbursts, abuse of power by Leiden archeology professor

An Archeology professor and her partner at Leiden University were responsible for a reign of terror at the faculty for years. An investigative committee called it “plausible” that the professor and her partner were guilty of long-term undesirable and often transgressive behavior, the university reported on Tuesday.

People from the faculty told investigators that the professor and her partner - a former associate professor at the faculty - ridiculed colleagues and students, had regular outbursts of rage, and involved third parties in their arguments. Students reported that the two accused academics forced them to use their work in the students’ publications and then wrongly claimed co-authorship.

The investigative committee also called it plausible that the two academics “violated scientific integrity in two cases and that in other cases they tested a possibly exceeded the boundaries of what was permissible.” Several colleagues and students told the investigators that the professor and her partner stole human remains during fieldwork, among other things.

The university announced last month that it intended to dismiss the professor. She has been suspended since the start of this investigation in the autumn of 2023. She and her partner also no longer have access to the university.

Leiden University board president Annetje Ottow told NRC that she was shocked by the report and the university's failure to address the misconduct sooner. “I want to be very clear about that: we as a university have made mistakes. The current board is not covering this up. It is also one of the most important reasons for publishing this report in its entirety,” she said.

Ottow said that the academics’ misconduct “seriously damaged many people and that affects us deeply.”