High-ranking U-M official has years of misconduct allegations — and school knew – Detroit Free Press
More than 20 women have now made sexual misconduct complaints against University of Michigan Provost Martin Philbert, some stretching back more than a decade, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the investigation.
Not all of the allegations were unknown to the university. At least three times over the years, complaints about Philbert’s behavior were made to administrators at the school, multiple sources said.
One of those involved a lawsuit that was settled that contained allegations of Philbert and a researcher in his lab having a physical relationship. The other two complaints revolved around what multiple sources called Philbert’s verbal “overtures” to various people working with and for him during his time at the school. The other complaints were filed after Philbert was placed on administrative leave last month and involve various levels of sexual harassment, sources said.
The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about Philbert or the investigation.
Philbert has been promoted multiple times at the university, including into his current position as the top academic officer at the Ann Arbor school.