wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |Allen U. president placed on leave after sexual harassment claims

Allen U. president placed on leave after sexual harassment claims

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Dr. Charles E. Young (Source: Allen University) Dr. Charles E. Young (Source: Allen University)

By Jack Kuenzie - bio | email

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Allen University trustees have placed university President Dr. Charles Young on "indefinite administrative leave" following allegations of sexual harassment of a co-worker.

The school's board of trustees on Tuesday voted to name Dr. Pamela Wilson interim president. A member of the board says the action was taken in response to a range of issues including administrative, managerial and operational.

"Dr. Young served this institution for nine years," said Wilson. "He served it well. We've gotten a lot of things accomplished here. Dr. Young also has supporters here. And I imagine some people who have questions surrounding it, but I don't think so. Allen is a strong, strong community of people who are committed to it. We have folks who have been here for 25 years. And we are committed to moving forward."

It is not clear whether university administrator Dr. Sonya Melton's sexual harassment lawsuit against Young was a specific factor in the vote. A member says the board also considered administrative, managerial and operational issues before voting.

Melton has filed a lawsuit accusing Young of pressuring her to have sex and retaliating against her for refusing to do so. Melton accuses Young of coercing her into having sex, attempting to control her relationships and choking and shoving her between 2006 and 2008.

It marked the second time Young had been accused of sexual harassment by a female co-worker.

Young says he never harassed Melton, and was not retaliating or discriminating against her when she lost her job as associate vice president for enrollment management.

Wilson can't comment on the exact reasons for the board's decision, but she did meet with faculty Wednesday afternoon.

"We believe in informing our employees so that they can understand what is going on around them," said Wilson. "So basically the purpose of that meeting was simply to announce me as interim president and to ensure continuity, to assure our faculty and staff that we're going to move forward without interruption."

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