More Extensive Probe of CSUN Sex Complaint Ordered

Cal State Northridge President James Cleary has asked for a more thorough investigation of a complaint by two lecturers that a geography professor exposed himself to them on several occasions, a school official said Thursday.

Christine Rodrigue and Carolyn McGovern-Bowen maintain in the lawsuit that they were unfairly fired from part-time positions in the geography department July 6 after complaining about Darrick Danta, who has admitted that he repeatedly exposed himself to the women inside university offices during 1986.

The women, who now work as lecturers in CSUN’s urban studies department, name Danta, geography department chairman I-Shou Wang and the university as defendants in the suit, filed Sept. 14 in San Fernando Superior Court.

A university affirmative-action committee conducted an earlier investigation and concluded that the incidents did not warrant disciplinary action, said Jeanette Mann, who headed the committee.

Earl Weiss, special assistant to Cleary, was asked to conduct a second investigation after the lawsuit was filed, said Ann Salisbury, the university spokeswoman. Cleary instructed Weiss to step up his investigation after receiving a preliminary report from him Thursday, she said.

Cleary said in a statement read by Salisbury, “All professors must subscribe to the principal that they are role models . . . and that this sort of conduct is reprehensible and will not be tolerated.”