In article <XnsAD3E897C77F23abb2ga@95.216.243.224>
"Bowel Movements Matter (BLM)" <jthomqs@gmail.com> wrote:
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Sonoma State University President Judy Sakaki, who is facing
growing criticism of her handling of sexual harassment
allegations involving her husband, announced Monday that she is
separating from her spouse.

Sakaki said in a statement that she was �disavowing the words
and actions of my husband, Patrick McCallum,� who she said sent
emails to friends and family about the allegations that Sakaki
called �inaccurate and unauthorized.� McCallum is a prominent
higher education lobbyist and official volunteer on the Sonoma
campus who has represented the university at many events with
his wife.

Meanwhile, the state senator who represents the district that
includes the university issued a statement saying the scandal
raises �serious questions� about Sakaki�s leadership of the
Northern California campus and asked the Board of Trustees to
address the matter.

�The reports are a significant distraction for the university at
a critical time, and raise serious questions about her
leadership and judgement,� state Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) said.
�It is concerning and deserves close scrutiny by the CSU
chancellor and board of trustees as to how the interests of
students and employees can be best served going forward.�

The developments come after a Times investigation reporting that
California State University paid $600,000 this year to settle a
claim with a Sonoma State provost who reported retaliation and
sexual harassment allegations involving Sakaki and her husband.

The provost, Lisa Vollendorf, alleged that she faced retaliation
from Sakaki, her boss, after she reported the sexual harassment
accusations about McCallum to top officials at the chancellor�s
office, records in the case show.

Sakaki and McCallum issued statements last week saying he had
done nothing wrong, and Sakaki denied retaliating against
Vollendorf, saying the accusations �are utterly without basis.�

At an Academic Senate meeting on Thursday, faculty voiced
criticism and raised frustrations over the allegations. One
faculty member asked Sakaki if her husband would still attend
fundraising events. Sakaki said that a decision had not been
made, but that the sensitivity of the campus would be taken into
consideration.

Another faculty member told Sakaki she believed her husband owed
the women who alleged harassment an apology. McCallum issued one
a day later, saying: �I want to apologize to anyone who has felt
uncomfortable in my presence or through my actions. It was never
my intent to act disrespectfully but it�s clear that I made some
people uncomfortable. For that, I�m truly sorry.�

Within days, McCallum sent out an email in which he references
the �hurtful allegations� detailed in The Times� investigation
and criticizes Vollendorf, whose allegations led to the
settlement, according to an email that was reviewed by Times
reporters.

The email was one of several rambling messages, including some
to a Times reporter, that McCallum sent in recent days.

Sakaki said the email to friends and family was �sent without my
knowledge or consent and does not reflect my viewpoint. I
consider the matters between Dr. Vollendorf and me to be
resolved,� she said.

�I ask for privacy and time to address these personal matters,�
Sakaki added, �as I continue my service to our campus and
community.�

The Times� investigation detailed Vollendorf�s reports to the
CSU about the allegations against McCallum.

Vollendorf said she told the general counsel in December 2018
that three women � two of them campus employees � alleged
McCallum talked about his sex life, ran his fingers through one
woman�s hair and then made �inappropriate personal comments�
about her appearance during a party at his house, according to
settlement records the provost�s attorney filed with system
officials.

The women, who reported the accusations to Vollendorf because
they worked for her or knew her, described the behavior as
�creepy,� �disgusting� and �pervy,� the records said.

The former provost said she provided CSU officials with the
names of all three as well as three more people who told her
they witnessed the conduct, according to the records.

Cal State officials acknowledged that they did not launch a
formal investigation into the sexual harassment claims and
instead spoke to Sakaki about the accusations against her
husband.

They said CSU�s former Title IX officer interviewed three people
� two complainants and an apparent witness � about the
allegations. One person declined to be interviewed. CSU
officials said that those interviewed declined to proceed.
Officials denied Vollendorf was subjected to retaliation.

Two complainants, who spoke with The Times on the condition of
anonymity, said that fears of job loss and damage to the
president�s reputation prompted them not to go forward. One
complainant said she later told the Title IX officer that she
believed Sakaki had retaliated against her over the claims.

A former interim vice president at the university told The Times
that he reported similar allegations in 2019 against McCallum on
behalf of his staff to general counsel Andrew Jones, but that no
one followed up with him.

Gordon McDougall, who directed Sonoma State�s University
Advancement Division before retiring in 2020, told The Times he
changed schedules to prevent women on his team from working with
McCallum during campus events following �complaints of
inappropriate touching and comments.�

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-04-18/sonoma-state-
president-separates-from-husband-amid-sexual-harassment-
retaliation-scandal