WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Mark Rosenberg, the former president of Florida International University, will return to teach at the school.
Rosenberg, 73, resigned in January after 13 years as president and about 45 years with the university due to allegations of sexual harassment involving a female staffer.
According to a Miami Herald report, the woman, who was not named, said Rosenberg “told her he was getting a divorce and proposed that she become his lover and companion.”
Later, the report stated, Rosenberg “started to call her ‘princess’ … and started hugging her occasionally during greetings.”
Rosenberg, who was on a one-year sabbatical after he resigned, denied those claims.
The former president has accrued a salary of about $503,000 during the year he has been on leave.
Starting in January, Rosenberg will teach one “Politics of Latin America” course. His salary will decrease to about $377,000, more than twice the annual salary of a tenured professor at the university.
FIU students on Thursday reacted to the news of Rosenberg’s return to teaching.
“I think there will be some chaos surrounding it. Some people may not agree with it, some people might,” said student Elizabeth Alvarez.
“I would be worried about someone who has allegations like that around them,” said student Malik Duncan.
Student government vice president Valentina Casanova said that when the allegations first came to light, students were shocked, but she trusts the process to bring him back.
“I trust that FIU has really vetted and taken him through all the steps necessary to ensure that the return is safe for students and that they’ll be comfortable with it, especially given that it’s an elective course,” said Casanova.
In May, Rosenberg wrote a letter to the university regarding their concerns. He wrote, “I no longer work with the person at the center of this situation. I have worked or been associated with literally tens of thousands of FIU employees and students for a lifetime, more than 47 years, and in that time have only had one issue of this kind with one person that came about in the twilight of my career at a time when I had the greatest challenges stemming from my personal life.”
Rosenberg’s wife has been battling deteriorating health challenges. Initially, back in January, he said he was resigning due to this matter, but the ensuing report told a different story.
Now, he is defending his ability to return to the campus as a professor. In his letter, he wrote, “There are other salient facts that work against a conclusion that my behavior last year remains a concern. I self-reported this situation. By all indications, the person at the center of all this was put into a situation that caused her discomfort, which I have conceded since day one.”
Rosenberg had to take a course on sexual harassment and was required to meet with a Title IX coordinator to go over sexual harassment policies. He will have to continue undergoing the training on an annual basis.
As of Thursday evening, he has not responded to 7News’ request for comment, but in a memo to the university, he said he is excited to play a positive role as a faculty member.
Rosenberg is set to begin teaching in the school’s spring semester.
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