Three psychology professors at Dartmouth College are being investigated for alleged sexual misconduct, authorities announced Tuesday.
New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said his office and four other law enforcement agencies launched their probe after the Ivy League college reported the allegations.
The announcement came a week after the college’s newspaper, The Dartmouth, reported that the professors — Todd Heatherton, Bill Kelley and Paul Whalen — were placed on paid leave and had their access to campus restricted.
Dartmouth College President Phil Hanlon confirmed the criminal probe in an email to students on Tuesday.
“It is important to remember that investigations are ongoing, with no official findings yet produced,” Hanlon wrote. “However, we take these allegations very seriously and are pursuing our own independent investigations in coordination with law enforcement officials.”
The college is fully cooperating with law enforcement, college spokeswoman Diana Lawrence said in a statement on the college’s website.
“From the outset of our investigations, we have encouraged the reporting of possible crimes to law enforcement and have offered resources to support that reporting,” Lawrence said, adding that the college would have no further comment on the investigation.
Messages seeking comment from the professors were not immediately returned Tuesday.
“I am on sabbatical and not monitoring this email account until September 2018,” an automatic reply from Heatherton’s Dartmouth email account read. “I will not be accepting invitations to review manuscripts, grants or book proposals during this period.”