The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor placed its provost on administrative leave on Tuesday in the wake of sexual-misconduct allegations against him.
An internal investigation began on Friday into accusations against Martin A. Philbert, Michigan’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. University officials received “several” accusations of sexual misconduct late last week.
“We take allegations of sexual misconduct very seriously, and our policy is clear: Sexual misconduct will not be tolerated in the University of Michigan community,” the university’s president, Mark S. Schlissel, wrote in a letter on Wednesday to faculty, staff, and students on the Ann Arbor campus.
Michigan has retained an outside law firm to investigate the matter further. The Office for Institutional Equity, which typically handles sexual-misconduct investigations, reports to the provost. Schlissel said in his letter that “all matters related to this investigation” will instead be reported through the office of Richard S. Holcomb, associate vice president for human resources.