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Updated: 8:21 p.m. Monday, April 2, 2012 | Posted: 8:20 p.m. Monday, April 2, 2012

Miami releases details of sexual harassment claims against director

By Richard Jones

Staff Writer

OXFORD — Miami University’s regional director for admission and financial aid voluntarily resigned last month as a result of an investigation into sexual harassment claims, according to documents received by this newspaper from the university’s Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity.

A report of that investigation, dated Feb. 14, said that Archie Nelson’s behavior with his co-workers was sufficient for “appropriate disciplinary action.” No action was taken, however, because of his resignation ended the process, according to Miami University spokeswoman Claire Wagner.

The report focused on the allegations of a student services technician, whose name was redacted in the document, but was based on interviews with “multiple witnesses from both the Hamilton and Middletown campuses” and Nelson. The report describes a series of inappropriate comments and sexual innuendo.

Nelson could not be reached for comment.

Nelson was placed on administrative leave Feb. 6 and resigned in March. He will remain on the university payroll until June 30, the end of the fiscal year, but will work on projects from home and not report to the office.

\The report concluded that there were 16 specific actions that violated the university’s policy prohibiting harassment and discrimination.

Among them, the report alleges that Nelson asked the staff member out on a date and had told her and other workers in the office that he was in love with her.

According to the report, the staff member reported that Nelson had approached her from behind and began to massage her neck and told him she didn’t like that. Nelson responded that he had massaged the neck and shoulders “of various members of the staff.”

The staff member said that from time to time Nelson would “play a game” in which he would block an open doorway so that she would have to move his hand away to get through, and one time did not let her pass, telling her that he wanted to dance, “grabbed her hand and made her dance.”

“Mr. Nelson admitted he had danced with other staff members but denied dancing” with the complainant, the report states.

The report also detailed instances of alleged misconduct with other staff members and at least one student worker, reporting that Nelson spoke about female menstruation, toe-sucking and foot fetishes, and would ask female staff members to “walk to him and show him their outfits.”

The report also alleges that Nelson told a pregnant staff member that she was “looking awfully ripe.”

The investigation also “revealed multiple allegations of Mr. Nelson yelling, degrading and/or disrespecting Miami University staff members, a potential student and a parent,” the report said.

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